The Return Of The Three Musketeers
About the Production
Twenty years on from his greatest adventure, D’Artagnan is disillusioned. Still only a lowly-paid lieutenant in the musketeers, his friends long gone, forgotten by the powerful people he once rescued from death and dishonour. But where once he saved a queen, a chance turn of events gives D’Artagnan the opportunity to save a King, and a King of England at that! But he can’t do it alone. Can he recruit his old comrades Porthos, Athos and Aramis from retirement? And can they save themselves from the vengeful agent of death that follows their every move?
Freely adapted from Alexandre Dumas’ own stirring Musketeers sequel ‘Twenty Years After’, this is a colourful new story of swashbuckling high adventure, fun and derring-do!
All for one, and one for all, once more!
There are two stories to be told here. One is the best part of two hundred years old, the other just sixteen.
1844. The French author Alexandre Dumas published ‘The Three Musketeers’ as a serial in a magazine. It was an immediate success, and a sequel came out a year later, and a third and final instalment two years after that. ‘The Three Musketeers’ seized the public’s imagination and to one degree or another, has continued to do so ever since.
The four great friends, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and the younger D’Artagnan became over the course of the books embroiled in plots and plans that changed history. Dumas was an avid historian and liked to show off to his readers how much he knew. Mind you, that didn’t stop him riding rough-shod over history when it suited the story!
It’s arguably the most successful piece of French literature ever. (Let’s draw a discreet veil over ‘Les Miserables’ please) There have been movies (lots of them, the first in 1903, the last one just last year), musicals (one part-written by P G Wodehouse of all people) and operas, television series and even cartoons. (those of a certain age may fondly remember ‘Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds’ though others might run screaming from the room…) One such version was a play written by Willis Hall, which caught the eye of Theatre Workshop Coulsdon founder member and director Chris Argles.
1996, and TWC first comes to grips with the original action-heroes. Richard Lloyd played Athos, Mike Brown was Porthos and I played Aramis. We swashed buckles, waved swords and saved the day. Mike even ran across the stage naked (except for a large musketeer hat!) but only of course because the script demanded it… His grandmother was never quite the same after seeing it!
2011. We’re looking for a follow-up to the open-air success of ‘The Canterbury Tales’. ‘The Three Musketeers’ is suggested, but we really don’t want to revisit the same script because, well, we’ve done it before. Why don’t we do the sequel? Because no-one’s written one. ‘I’ll write one’ says I. The fact I’ve never written a play in my life before seemingly not a stumbling block. Ahem.
2012. Here we are. The play is written, we’ve taken the same three actors to play the original Three Musketeers, and that’s deliberate. The sequel to the first book was called ‘Twenty Years After’ and it’s not far off that between our productions. We’re all older. Probably a bit slower and a bit heavier, maybe even a little wiser. But are we growing old gracefully? Are the Musketeers? Probably not. But is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. Oh, and a note for any Dumas purists out there. I have taken huge liberties with the book. And if you have a problem with that, I’ll meet you outside…with my three friends! All for one, and one for all!
The Cast
Behind the Scenes
Image Gallery
The Reviews
All for one, and one for all in Coulsdon!
Lots of swash and buckle, much clash of steel in heroic sword fights and an excellent script to boot.
The play was adapted from the Dumas novel ‘Twenty Years After’ by Paul Ford who not only kept the tale full of intrigue and excitement, but played a bold Aramis. Along with Mike Brown as the now wealthy Porthos and Richard Lloyd as gallant Athos, the three met up again with the courageous D’Artagnan – a sparkling Luke Argles – to rescue King Charles I as he awaited execution.
Of course, history tells us they failed, but their efforts and how, but for the King’s self-sacrifice, they could have succeeded, made a great tale.
A large cast with some doubling and even trebling of roles, were elegantly costumed by a team of six and the all-important sound and lighting for this outdoor production was first class.
Comedy came from John East as Planchet, D’Artagnan’s servant, as well as the Musketeers themselves. Anya Destiney fooled them as Charles’ daughter Henrietta-Maria, dressed as a man to encourage his rescue.
Wickedness to foil the rescue was led by Indianna Scorziello as De Winter – a lady with a score to settle, and Bruce Montgomery as the obsequious Cardinal Mazarin, also with a plot of his own. Instigating the rescue and hoping the reunite the Musketeers, Anne, Queen of France was given enthusiasm and grace for the cause by Tania Gauci and Dawn Lock’s Lady Mountpleasant bravely hid and fed the four.
Amongst the many character parts Tim Young made an excellent jailer, Sean Young a subservient Bernouin, Jo Wilson an eagerness as the Compte de Rochefort and Jonathan North obedient as the soldier Braddock.
Directed by Paul Ford and Dawn Lock, and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, even the light shower did nothing to dampen the zeal.
Theo Spring for The Croydon Advertiser
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