THE THREE MUSKETEERS

Dates

Production Dates:31 October, 1 and 2 November 2003

Summary

This is Willis Hall's swashbuckling adventure based on the story by Alexandre Dumas. It is a lively and fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek version. D'Artagnan, a poor, young Gascon gentleman, goes to Paris to join Louis XIII's Musketeers, is befriended by three valiant members of that force, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and shares their adventures, foiling the evil plans of Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter to discredit Louis' wife Anne and expose her love for the Duke of Buckingham.

Cast   D'Artagnan Aidan Godwin Aramis David Ashton Porthos Stephen Johnstone Athos Chris Robertson Cardinal Richlieu Bernard Godwin Rochefort Nigel Gray King Louis Ian Jewesbury Duke of Buckingham Gordon Thomson Planchet Trevor Pyne Monsieur Bonacieux Pat Wilson Tailor Kester Lindley D'Artagnan's father Mike Rowe Monsieur de Treville David Jones Milady de Winter Cheska Moon Queen Anne Maggie Hewitt Constance Bonacieux Emma Milward Clothilde Lucy Gray Donna Estefana Summer Nisar Mother Superior Alison Squires Swearing Nun Wendy Gilyott-Brown Guards Ian Jewesbury, Ian Reilly, Matthew Cooper, Kester Lindley Musketeers Andy Lee, Kester Lindley, Aaron Shakespeare Innkeeper Pat Wilson Priest Ian Jewesbury De Treville's Servant Mike Rowe Jussac David Jones Goalers Aaron Shakespeare, David Cooper Nuns Rosie Thomson, Jo Simon, Summer Nisar, Laura Bally Buckingham's Manservant David Jones Footmen, Guests, Servants, Spies, Villagers etc. Kester Lindley, Mike Rowe, Laura Bally, Wendy Gilyot-Brown, Lucy Gray, David Jones, Aaron Shakespeare, Sumer Nisar, Jo Simon, Alison Squires, Rosie Thomson, David Jones, Pat Wilson, David Cooper Production Crew     Designer Gordon Thomson Costumes Sue Thomson, assisted by Jane Cooper, Ruth Cox Box Office Pat and Lou Crosswell Front of House Manager Jane Cooper Lighting and Sound Richard Grogan, James Grogan, Paul Hickey Sound Equipment Suppliers Integrated Circles Limited Make Up Victoria Bailey, Alison Squires Music Composer Andrew Dodge Poster and Design Trevor Pyne Production Photographs Nigel Gray Programme Bernard Godwin, Jo Simon Prompt Emma Deverell Props Chris Robertson, Jo Simon Publicity Pat Wilson Set Builders Nigel Gray and members of the company Stage Manager David Cooper

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Review

“I had previously attended the last Magdalene Players production, “Blithe Spirit”, primarily to support a friend in the cast. I was impressed enough with my first experience of the Players, to set back any previous preconceptions of “am-dram” that I may have had and join her in the audience for the first night of their latest production, “The Three Musketeers”.

It was apparent as we entered the hall that the Magdalene Players’ “experience” is so much greater than pure stage performance. The costumed cast milled around the audience, selling raffle tickets and refreshments (including alcohol, an unusual but welcome addition I understand) and greeted old friends with genuine warmth and affection. There was a definite “family feel” to the occasion.

As I was led to my seat in the right of the front row, I became a little worried that we would be over-exposed to the flashing rapiers and broad-swords that I fully anticipated were to be a major part of the action. My discomfort increased when the audience was encouraged to join the cast in a rendition of Le Marseillaise. My own performance was a dismal failure, but the enthusiasm of [Trevor Payne] who led the singing was indication of what could be expected over the next two hours.

So to the action. In many ways, I suspect the overall success of an “am-dram” is in large part a reflection of the choice of play, catering as it must for the varied ages, experience and abilities of its cast. In this respect, “The Three Musketeers” was an inspired choice. Creative use of space together with a simple but impressive set, acted as the base ingredients to allow the cast full reign to demonstrate the hard-work put in during rehearsal. Brilliant costumes and clever use of incidental music both added to the overall enjoyment of the evening.

Being honest, there were times when I became slightly confused by the plot (in particular at the survival of two of the musketeers following apparent death at the hands of Cardinal Richelieu’s guards), but the pace of the play was such that the action never flagged and even the inevitable (but few) instances of memory loss provided the opportunity for cast members to demonstrate their abilities at ad-libbing and playing to the audience.

Accents were a feature of the evening. French, English, Spanish and Irish were all on display, sometimes more than one from the same character... I only became a little confused towards the end when Athos (Chris Robertson) started talking Australian, although I put this down to his distress at the death of Milady de Winter, the suitably evil Cheska Moon.

The Musketeers themselves (Messrs Johnstone, Robertson and Ashton) threw themselves with gusto into their roles, demonstrating all the enthusiasm I would expect from grown men with an excuse to grow facial hair, dress in leather boots and tights, and run around stage sword-fighting. And all in the name of “art”. Aidan Godwin was a young and heroic D’Artagnan, particularly convincing in his romantic interludes with Constance (Emma Millward), so much so that I was truly beginning to fear for her virtue by the middle of Act 2.

I enjoyed the performances of all of the cast. In supporting roles Ian Jewesbury demonstrated his versatility playing both King Louis and an Irish County Priest, whilst Summar Nisar made a splendidly haughty and aloof Donna Estefana. David Cooper as the second gaoler demonstrated an aptitude with a whip that made me wonder if it had been developed purely in rehearsal, and Kester Lindley performed a convincing turn (complete with period hair-cut) as a camp Parisian tailor.

My own personal favourite was Trevor Payne, who made a suitably lost and bemused Planchet. Encouragingly for the future of the Magdalene Players as a whole, a few younger members in non-speaking parts demonstrated an aptitude for expanding their roles with extravagant stage business that must bode well for the future.

Aaron Shakespeare’s programme note stated that in his seven years as a member of the Players he could not remember having such fun during rehearsals. That feeling of fun and enjoyment was obvious during the performance and was so infectious it easily translated itself throughout the audience. Mr Shakespeare stated that he would consider the production a success if the audience come away with a big cheery grin and a song in their hearts. Whilst my own rendition of Le Marseillaise stopped me from singing as I left the hall, the grins on the faces of all the audience were plain to see and I know that mine lasted all the way home. I thoroughly enjoyed my second experience of a Magdalene Players production and look forward to attending again in the future.”

Jon Huddleston