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Well....sort of. There was a Japanese exhibition, in London, at the time that Gilbert wrote THE MIKADO and all things Japanese were THE "rage". No English person really knew much at all about Japan, nor the Japanese at that time, but it was a VERY timely theme to use.

You were taken in by the misinformation in the Topsy-Turvy movie as I was -- briefly. I learned the Knightsbridge Exhibition opened about 2 months *after* Gilbert had completed Act 1. There seems to be some truth to the story he was inspired by a Japanese sword in his study but that story is also in some dispute. But "Japan Mania" had overwhelmed England at the time and I agree it was a very timely theme.

He knew about the Japanese exhibition coming to London, prior to the event.

And yes, the sword hitting him on the head is apocryphal; yet everyone sort of takes it sort of seriously, as well as the Japan "rage" of the time. I've know that story since I was 3, which I assure you was many decades removed from my seeing TOPSY-TURVY". :-)

Sadly, there have always been many books about the operettas, Gilbert & Sullivan together, and Sir Arthur, but almost NONE about only Gilbert. Thankfully, I now have two.

Unfortunately, the books written by George Grossmith, Jessie Bond, and Leonora Braham are now long out of print and I've only ever read snippets from them in other books.