This is an "original cast recording" of The Hot Mikado, which played in London (and perhaps other places?). The recording is not in my personal collection, but Mike Lean offered the following comments:

I admit to seeing The Hot Mikado purely in the interests of research. I was due to be Ko-Ko in October '95 and wanted to see The Mikado again (it was twenty years since I saw the last one). The show was enjoyable, though traditionalists would shout "Oh, horror…" Seeing the three little maids as the Andrews Sisters was interesting. Katisha as a vamp was an awful concept. Ko-Ko was a dead ringer for Sergeant Bilko, and Tit-Willow was the comic highlight of the show. [Another highlight] was the trio "I am so Proud." Ko-Ko had the letter from the Mikado with the words "Lord High Substitute" and slapped it into Pooh-Bah's hands. All through the trio this letter was passed around in various ways (even with a high five), each of them trying to get rid of it. This was extremely amusing and could easily be done in a more traditional performance. Naturally, Ko-Ko ended up with the letter. Junior was an extra male character who took some of Pish-Tush's lines and also sang "Braid the raven hair" as a solo! This was done with Yum-Yum behind a screen combing her hair in silhouette. I have to admit it was very effective.

Bev Sykes added:

Well, I'll admit that we saw the Hot Mikado. I won't admit that we enjoyed it, however <g>. There were elements I liked. Ko-Ko was wonderful. The Mikado was awful. The Katisha vamp didn't work because if she's gorgeous all the humor is meaningless. And the Lamplighters have done the 3 Little Maids in every conceivable fashion, so seeing them as the Andrews Sisters was fun--in fact, we may even have done them as the Andrews sisters at one time or another.

The listed selections are as follows:

• Overture
• "We are gentlemen of Japan"
• "A wand'ring minstrel I"
• "And the drums will crash"
• "Behold the Lord High Executioner"
• "I've got a little list"
• "Three little maids"
• "This is what I'll never do"
• "I am so proud"
• "Let the throng our joy advance"
• Katisha's Entrance
• "For he's gonna marry Yum-Yum"
• "The hour of gladness"
• Finale Act One
• Entr'acte
• "Braid the raven hair"
• "The Sun & I"
• "Swing a merry madrigal"
• "Here's a howdy-do"
• The Mikado's Song
• "Alone and yet alive"
• "Tit-willow"
• Finale
• Playout