The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain
By Chris Hannan, Directed by Dominic Hill & Designed by Colin Richmond. Belgrade Theatre Coventry 23rd October 2010
It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to Coventry, having spent time at the Polytechnic back in the 80s. I’d never been to the Belgrade Theatre but after seeing the promotional artwork for The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain, my family and I took the train to Coventry to see the final matinee.
Based loosely on the characters created by Alexandre Dumas, this is an inspired surreal retelling of the adventures of the Musketeers. In what can only be described as a cross between Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge and Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, this production is a triumph of performance and design. The relatively small cast take on multiple roles and provide the musical accompaniment to the play, and each one acquits themselves marvellously. From a beautifully relaxed opening where minstrels roam the audience we are quickly drawn into a world where monsters lurk and heroes are waiting to return and save the day.
The story races along with fights, frights and the occasional kiss, keeping both the children and adults entranced. The design of the production is wonderful, with great use of sets and costume. One of the highlights for me was the use of puppets for both minor and major roles, again performed by members of the main cast. The way these characters came to life on stage was incredible, never lifting you out of the world that has been created.
The script and direction of the play was tight and energetic, never slowing and containing the perfect balance of comedy and tension, keeping the family entertained throughout it’s running time.
My children had this to say of the play –
It was really funny, lots of action and a tiny bit rude!
Ezekiel 10 yrs old.
I like how they used the puppets with people and I thought the monster was very gigantic.
Eloise 6 yrs old.
It’s a pity that we saw the show on its final day, as we would recommend it to everyone, both young of age and of heart. We had a fantastic time and if this is the quality of performances we can expect from the Belgrade, we shall be returning again soon.
- and prepare yourself for one of the best British shows in ages.