The Three Musketeers
About the Production
France 1625.
A young nobleman called D’Artagnan leaves his family in Gascony, south-west France, and makes his way to Paris to seek his fortune and join the King’s Musketeers. Unfortunately he encounters Rochefort, Captain of the Cardinal’s guard at a rural inn, and after an ill-advised confrontation, loses his letter of introduction to M.de Treville, (the captain of the King’s Musketeers), his money and his sword. So, when he finally arrives at the French capital, his welcome is far from warm. Things take a turn for the even worse when his first meetings with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, the best of the Musketeers, result in him challenging each of them to duels. Finally, taken under the wing of the Three Musketeers rather than being killed by them, the young Gascon finds himself embroiled in the machinations of the cunning Cardinal Richelieu and his deadly agent, Milady de Winter, with plans to dishonour the Queen of France herself. A tale of high adventure, full of fun, swordplay and affairs of the heart…
Originally written by Alexandre Dumas (in collaboration with his regular ghost writer Auguste Maquet) and published in 1844, this swashbuckling historical tale became one of the most enduring adventures in literature, challenged only by, perhaps, ‘Treasure Island’. Numerous adaptations have been made, for stage and screen, including musicals, animation, and even an opera. The script that Chris Argles chose to direct was by Willis Hall, and had been published just the previous year, 1995. Although it keeps to the story, more or less, inevitably some liberties are taken and Hall leans into the humour, no doubt one reason for its selection.
It has passed into Workshop legend that Mike Brown, playing, or rather completely inhabiting the role of Porthos, at one point during the production ran across the stage completely naked, except for a strategically placed broad-brimmed musketeer hat (with a large feather). The part demanded it, obviously.
The Cast
Behind the Scenes
Image Gallery
The Reviews
The good news is that we get a glimpse of a bare bottom in this production. The bad news is that it belongs to one of the musketeers. But temper your hilarity with a modicum of reserve as you watch those doubleted and hosed characters demanding instant satisfaction as they yell “All for one and one for all!” Though not for me thanks, I’m for the quiet life.
The swashbuckling story by Dumas pere, as adapted by Willis Hall, has elements of high adventure and low camp. Christopher Argles directs it in the manner of one not sure which camp to plump for, and the result strikes me an evening of mixed blessings. D’Artagnan really did exist in history, and was killed at the siege of Maastricht; so let that be a lesson to the Euro-sceptics. Here Paul Breden gives him a cocky arrogance which both irritates and charms, and leads him equally to bathos and glory.
His companions in derring-do are Mike Brown, Paul M Ford and Richard Lloyd, the last named being the most successful in combining tongue in cheek with a stiff upper lip. Elsewhere, by far the most impressive actor is Bruce Montgomery as that Himmler of the court of Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu, smooth, sardonic, and loaded with menace.
In the large cast, I am bound to say the quality of the acting is, to say the least, variable. Tina Bretman is splendid as the Holy Sister, while Neil grew pushes parody too far as the booby King. Daniel Ireson goes for broke as the thief Planchet, where Andrew Robinson needs more variety as the contemptible draper Bonacieux. Kimberley Argles as Constance, and Lisa Lloyd as Milady de Winter, are worthy carriers of the banners of good and evil respectively.
Watch out too for Luke Argles’ First Gaoler, going over the top with all guns blazing.
Reviewed by Donald Madgwick for The Croydon Advertiser
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