REVIEW

Comedy gold
Sebastian AJ Gross

Blackadder: a name that carries a lot of weight and expectation, an icon of British comedy featuring some of the most notable television talent of its time.

An ambitious choice for a local group to take on. So l entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, excited yet trepidatious (and freezing cold as one would expect in December). However, I was warmed by the period atmosphere that had been created, not to mention the mulled wine and hot mince pies, which were delicious.

Any worry that this performance might not live up to its legacy was swiftly washed away as the lights dimmed, the live theme music began and the actors entered the cosy, theatre in the round. From there on, I was totally invested and I'm glad to say I loved every minute.

The costume and makeup was spot on; it immediately immersed us in the period and highlighted those oh so familiar characters; most notably Queenie's regal dress and Baldric's (very realistic) facial rash.

Photo: Rebecca Cockcroftt

Seamless transitions

The lighting was simple, yet effectively moved us from scene to scene within the limited space. I particularly liked that the characters in the throne room were almost always on stage; a bold choice given the space but I found that I rarely noticed them as attention was focussed on the action. This allowed seamless transitions between scenes and helped recreate the 'cuts' that we'd expect of the television show.

Another beautiful touch was the live classical guitar accompaniment that played variations on the Blackadder score between scenes to assist transitions and set the tone for the next scene, marvellous. I should also add that the falsetto singing to mark the end of each episode was unexpected and hilarious.

As for the performances? Wow, there wasn't a weak link between them. Each character was portrayed excellently without attempting to be a facsimile of the original which must have been incredibly tempting and a very hard balance to strike.

Expert comic timing

Michaela Clement-Hayes' voice for Queenie was as squeaky as it should be and she commanded the room. Jem Clack as Melchett was beautifully understated in comparison and provided a good contrast to the 'louder' characters. Owen Warr's comic timing with his many roles was fantastic, hitting us with some great one-liners. The same can be said of April Pardoe's multi-roling, I almost felt sorry for Percy but found it too funny! Robin McAllister was excellent, truly capturing Percy's haplessness. Ashleigh Standage as Kate (or, urm, 'Bob'?) incredibly well played, often providing the much needed 'straight man' to make the chaos comedic.

Equally, Adrian Wyman fulfilled such a role, I actually did feel sorry for Sir Walter Raleigh though. I loved John Myhill's Capt.Red Beard, it felt like Tom Baker was in the room. Di Wyman's Nursie was hilarious, portraying her random craziness. Woof, Josh Pugh made an entrance Rick Mayall would be proud of with Flashheart and sustained multiple comedic characters. Jake Turner as Baldric was much anticipated and he did not disappoint, switching from baffled to inane grin with expert comic timing. And lastly, of course not least, Rik E. Dean, quite how you managed to sound and move just like Blackadder, without being an imitation or tribute to Rowan Atkinson, I don't know. I can still hear your exasperated 'Oh God' even now.

Photo: Rebecca Cockcroftt

PREVIEW

Three episodes of classic comedy
Ian Hammond-Stark, director

Set in Elizabethan England, Lord Blackadder looks to gain favour with the Tudor Queen and hopefully keep his head! He is assisted by Baldrick, his incompetent servant, and Lord Percy Percy his… idiot.

Blackadder II was written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis and originally aired on the BBC in 1986. Three episodes from the original six have been adapted and directed by Ian Hammond-Stark.

Bells - Lord Blackadder has taken a new manservant . . . Bob, however all is not what it seems.

Potato - Sir Walter Raleigh has returned to pomp and pageantry . . . Much to Blackadder's annoyance.

Beer - Due to misfortune and misadventure, Blackadder finds himself . . . Broke! However his luck may be changing.