Commentary on The Mikado

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/pitt/p70.html

According to the review by Anne Miner, the Mikado is a commentary on British society, which had become "a regimented and rule-laden society" with each character expressing their way of exploring "individual freedom and happiness."

Through this play, Gilbert and Sullivan made an important contribution to the social critique of British society. They chose Japan to distract nationalists from seeing it as such.

Thus The Mikado has never been about Japan, but is used as a plot device to expose the regimentation of the old Empire. Very little authentic Japanese culture but very much of British culture exists in The Mikado.

This play shows a way of discreetly criticizing modern day society without having defenders of society catching on until much later.

Plot and theme of The Mikado from Boise State University:
http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/mikado/html/mikado.html