Review: (Stratford) The Three Musketeers

Steven Sutcliffe (photo by Cylla von Tiedemann)

Buckle Your Swashes!
Director Miles Potter helms an impressively large production

by Stuart Munro

@StuartMunroTO

The seventeenth century is alive and well at the Festival Theatre thanks to a new production of The Three Musketeers, adapted by Peter Raby from Alexandre Dumas’s novel of the same name. The story follows the exploits of d’Artagnan as he makes his way from Gascony to Paris in hopes of joining the King’s Guards, the Musketeers. Along the way he befriends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, falls in love with the beautiful Constance Bonacieux, makes enemies of religious and social leaders, and gets caught up in a religio-political drama that has the potential to tear France apart, and England along with it. If it sounds like a lot of story, let me assure you it is. And while the pace can sometimes be difficult to keep up with, the end result is one of good cheer and great action.

This version of Musketeers was written specifically by Raby for the festival in 1968

Leading the musketeers on their exploits is Luke Humphrey. Now in his third season at the festival, Humphrey has all the charm and drive that the young Gascon soldier needs to not only make his way into the Musketeers, but also befriend the three more experienced members of the company. Dashing and handsome, it is not difficult to see why Constance falls in love with him almost instantly. The chemistry between him and the other musketeers is undeniable, and goes a long way to making this production the successful romp that it is. As Porthos, Jonathan Goad makes a hilarious entrance while trying to climb a single stair, and maintains his bravura throughout. Mike Shara’s Aramis successfully treads the fine line between swordsman and man of God. And Graham Abbey, as Athos, provides the necessary depth in this (admittedly) lighter fare when required in the second half.

The supporting company is incredibly strong as well, most notably Deborah Hay as the seductive spy, Milady de Winter; Steven Sutcliffe as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu; and Skye Brandon as the Duke of Buckingham. Only Bethany Jillard as Constance seemed uncomfortable with her text, and any chemistry between her and Humprey’s d’Artagnan was thanks to his skill.

This version of Musketeers was written specifically by Raby for the festival in 1968, and was designed to make use of the Festival Theatre’s thrust stage and multiple entrances, specifically to keep the action moving. Under director, Miles Potter, the action of this production never ceases, and the lighthearted, swash-buckling first act flies by (there are fifteen sword fights!). Things change for the second half as the tone switches from comedy to more serious political intrigue. The story becomes a bit harder to follow here as the various scenes and plot points race by at a sometimes dizzying pace – it is always comprehensible, but there’s never a real chance to absorb what’s happening.

The design makes use of Tanya Moiseiwitsch’s original festival stage, with simple steel bar additions by designer Douglas Paraschuk. With this, lighting designer, Michael Walton, is able to create a variety of moods and spaces by focusing on various parts of the steel structure – the stage is often dark, but the action is always visible. Gillian Gallow’s gorgeous costumes go a long way to helping us identify important characters amidst the nearly 40 actors on stage, and Leslie Arden’s original baroque-inspired music ably aids the transitions and action sequences. Fight director, John Stead, deserves a special nod, as his sword fights appear throughout the entirety of the production, and are always original and exciting.

The opening afternoon audience was filled with young children who, by accounts, seemed to have a great time, even with the show’s 3-hour length. Despite the density of the story and the speed at which it’s presented, The Three Musketeers makes for a solid evening of swash-buckling action and political intrigue.

Stratford’s The Three Musketeers runs to October 19 at the Festival Theatre