Two Acts and Two Courses
Blackadder II
Richard Curtis and Ben Elton
The Asylum Players
The Blue Room, Lincoln
16 - 17 September 2022
23 - 24 September 2022
This was my first visit to the beautiful Blue Room at the Lawn in Lincoln. It is a wonderful venue and in the age of black box theatres, it is so nice to see a more traditional space being used for live theatre. And it couldn't provide a more perfect backdrop for the staging of Richard Curtis and Ben Elton's Blackadder II. Having performed Blackadder Goes Forth, The Asylum Players delve further back into the canon by bringing us the second series of the epic saga, set in Elizabethan times. The enormous stained glass window on the Blue Room provides a fabulous, lavish backdrop that only adds to the grandeur of the setting which remains otherwise simple. As the late evening sun illuminates the window we are treated to a glorious spectacle and transported to the world of Queen Elizabeth I with all its grandeur, pomp and ceremony.
I was curious to see whether the cast would seek to impersonate the actors from the TV show, and was delighted that, rather than provide a poor imitation, each actor brings something of themselves to the role (or roles) they play. I have seen too many stage versions of TV shows where the actors think that they are hilarious because they are recreating the performance that won public acclaim on the television. and yet are doing it badly thus detracting from the show. I am happy to report that this is not the case here. In this production, there is no attempt to mimic the rubber-faced "goonery" of the legendary Rowan Atkinson or his unique vocal delivery of words as simple as "Bob", in which he over-emphasises the plosives. The man is a genius and we don't need to see an impersonator in order to enjoy the ahistorical silliness of the scripts.
Steve Gillard portrays the mendacious Edmund Blackadder as a charming cad, always seeking an angle that will profit his fortune and gratify his greed. The only person that matters in Blackadder's world is Edmund, everyone else populates the Earth to serve him or to be exploited and to advance his cause. Gillard is on stage for (almost) the entire show
and succeeds in keeping the audience attention and moving the narrative along swiftly and effectively. This charming bounder seduces the unsuspecting, exploits the vulnerable or the unknowing and yet often suffers from his own devices and cunning plans. He is a wonderful, comic anti-hero with whom we can identify and sympathise.
Aiding and abetting Edmund are his tow constant companions, Baldrick and Lord Percy. These comedic foils play perfectly alongside Blackadder as they provide the sounding board for Edmund's cunning plans and assist in building his ego to monstrous proportions. It is clear Blackadder keeps them around to make himself look good in their company and to exploit their trust and gullibility. As Baldrick, Michael Griffiths is wonderfully dour and straight-faced comic partner to Edmund. His optimism in the face of glaring despair is joyful to behold. Even when the unfortunate recipient of a stray arrow during archery practice, Griffith's Baldrick is always able to see the silver lining to every cloud. Griffiths also demonstrates his musical talents and abilities as he sings and plays ukulele - something Tony Robinson's Baldrick never did on television.
James Green's Lord Percy manages to steal the scene so often with his astonishingly witty characterisation of a man so dim even the sheer power of the sun would fail to illuminate his thinking. Percy's eye-catching costumes seem to suit Green, and despite being intended as comic, look rather flamboyant and occasionally dashing. The sheer incredulity of Percy's sweet-natured optimism in the face of imminent failure is played wonderfully. Blackadder has clearly persecuted Percy all his life and yet he remains devoted to his friend and sometime mentor.
No performance of this era of Blackadder would be complete without a strong interpretation of "The Virgin Queen" herself. Samantha Miles clearly relishes the challenge of bringing this version of the monarch to life. Her Queenie is both hilarious and terrifying in equal measure. She plays her as a spoiled child, a brat of epic proportions who has been indulged her entire life where nobody dares to say "no" to her. Stomping around and demanding fealty from her obsequious courtiers, the only person who remains truthful in her presence is her devoted Nurse, Nursie. Laura Martin provides a wonderful contrast to Miles, as the daft nurse who as helped raise this monster and yet only sees the good in her. Her warm characterisation and daft, dry delivery of her lines with deadpan expression is fabulous.
Finally, Lord Melchett is played with blistering pomposity by Jordan Shiel, Stephen Fry literally provides enormous shoes to fill as the snivelling Queen-pleaser and yet again there is no attempt to play the role AS Fry had done. Clearly, the lines provide the character as a template for Shiel's overly-officious attendant, but he brings his own touches to the role and ensures the measure of his disdain for Edmund is clearly signposted. His musical talent is also highlighted in this evening of dinner theatre too. Shiel is the musical director for the show and plays piano and sings during the show. His comic timing is excellent, and like the rest of the cast, is having a whale of a time playing his role.
The remaining members of the ensemble all play a variety of roles throughout the evening's revelry, but every one of them deserves a mention. Laura Turner throws herslef into the show with great aplomb, first as Lady Farrow and looks every inch the regal Tudor noblewoman in her glorious red dress. Then, as Molly the prostitute Turner offers a very different character and the biggest of her featured roles is as Kate, the male-impersonating peasant who seeking to aid her impoverished father becomes "Bob" the servant-come-companion of Blackadder who steals his heart and causes him to doubt his own being. Turner's portrayal of Bob is excellent as she/he teases Blackadder whilst exploring her own feelings for him, before ultimately breaking Edmund's heart.
Andy Morris is a pleasure to watch as he brings us Mr Ploppy, Partridge, Doctor Leech and Arthur the Sailor. His boils and sores as Ploppy are both hideous and hilarious and he brings charisma and comic timing to each cameo in turn. Having last seen Morris in a principal role in The Producers for LAODS at the LPAC, it was refreshing to see him performing cameo roles which showcase his talent but allow him to take a back seat for a change and support the work of others.
Karen Hunter absolutely relishes the excesses of each grotesque that she brings to the stage with hilarious results. Mrs Ploppy, with her boils and cheerful manner, is in stark contrast with her harridan Lady Whiteadder, and yet the two roles offer fantastic opportunities to showcase her skill as a comic actress. So too, the role of the old crone who advises Edmund during the show. She is a real asset to this production.
Jake West's baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells is a wonderfully observed creation who shamelessly chews the scenery as he blusters and booms across the stage, threatening Edmund with all sorts of evil punishment should he welch on a loan. Again, this is a terrific cameo that produces an exceptionally memorable character.
Steve Catney provides support in a number of small roles throughout but excels once he is allowed to cut-loose as the scene-stealing (and bride stealing) Lord Flashheart. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious. It is true that he saves his best until last in this production.
Joe Brammer also manages to bring energy and enthusiasm to the smaller cameos he portrays as Lord Farrow, a monk, Lord Whiteadder and his lascivious father to Kate as he implores her to pursue prostitution as a career choice to restore the family's fortunes.
Last but not least, Lindsey Hardenburg provides much support by performing as Piddle, the Queen's Messenger and the young crone. In addition her musical skill on the recorder and vocally provide the perfect backdrop for the show.
The show is co-directed by Steve Gillard and Peggy Reading with technical support ably supplied by Kevin Gillingham. The show provides a wonderful evening of entertainment and when accompanied by the sumptuous food will be an evening of dinner theatre to remember and I thoroughly recommend it. If you don't yet have a ticket, the details can be found on the poster below. Don't miss The Asylum Players' production of Blackadder.
Andy Evans 16 September 2022.
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