Gilbert and Sullivan change the characters, which Sullivan found artificial and lacking in "human interest and probability", as well as being too similar to their earlier opera, "The Sorcerer". As dramatised in the film "Topsy-Turvy", the author and composer were at an impasse until 8 May 1884, when Gilbert dropped the lozenge idea and agreed to provide a libretto without any supernatural elements. The story focuses on a "cheap tailor," Ko-Ko, who is promoted to the position of Lord High Executioner of the town of Titipu. Ko-Ko loves his ward, Yum-Yum, but she loves a musician, who is really the son of the
Cultural influence of Gilbert and Sullivan finale in his patchwork of stylistic creations "Clementine" ("full of words and music and signifying nothing", as Lehrer put it, thus parodying G&S and Shakespeare in the same sentence). Comedian Allan Sherman sang several parodies and pastiches of Gilbert and Sullivan songs in the 1960s, including: Anna Russell performed a parody called "How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera." The Two Ronnies' Gilbert and Sullivan parodies include their 1973 Christmas special. In addition, numerous G&S song parodies and other references to G&S are made in the animated TV series, "Animaniacs", such as the "HMS Yakko" episode, which includes