[chajin]

"The Mikado" wasn't intended to reflect the West's thoughts about Japan at all. It was merely another in a long line of G & S operettas intended to ridicule and satirize British government and culture.

There is an interesting 1999 movie, Topsy-Turvy, which is supposedly based on the writing and staging of The Mikado, and how it was inspired by the fascination with Japonisme at the time.

More recently, a display in the Boston Museum featuring Japonisme created a big controversy, much like the one we are discussing here, because it supposedly offended people who respect Japanese culture. There were quite a few of us of all political stripes, from Berners to Cruzers, who are deeply into Japanese culture, who all had the same reaction: shut up and show the stuff, it's good history.

[nopardons]

“TOPSY-TURVY” is about 95% accurate. Many of Sulivan’s mistresses were rolled into two women and dear Schwenk LOVED his wife dearly and did NOT treat Kitty as he did in the film.