Theatre That Has A Cunning Plan
Really Productions
Black Adder Goes Forth
Blyth Phoenix Theatre
On Tour:
Saturday 11th November
North Shields Exchange
Sunday 12th November
Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House
On the 100th
Anniversary of the end of the Battle BBC series live on stage. The result is
a poignant and entertaining evening.
As a child
I was brought up on World War 2 films. The
Dam Busters was one of many that would be on BBC 2 most weekends. The First World War
was largely uncovered with the notable exception of All Quiet On The Western Front that had a 1979 remake which left a
lasting impression on me. It was if WW1 was, as far as the media went, a
forgotten war. As I started work as teacher I was one of only 2 teachers in my
department that would stop our classes at 11am on the 11th November.
Why? Out of respect for my Great Grandfather who had been there but never
talked about it to me. I only discovered his bravery when he died and we saw
the medals.
Blackadder
had started in 1983 and it had 3 series poking fun at historical figures. The
1989 series was different, writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton were going to
create laughs about a tragic war when some of the brave men and women involved
were still alive. Tragic? As wikipedia puts it about just the Battle of Passchendaele:
“In the Official History,
Brigadier-General J. E. Edmonds put British casualties at 244,897 and wrote
that equivalent German figures were not available, estimating German losses at
400,000.” Those figures are hard to imagine.
The
resultant TV show Blackadder Goes Forth
was ranked #16 in the British Film Institutes 100 Greatest British Television Programmes in 2000. Somehow Curtis
and Elton have written a show that returned the heroes back into conversation.
Really
Productions are staging the entire show, with the exception of episode 2 Corporal Punishment - which was about
the pigeons role in the war. Each of the 5 remaining episodes is run in order
across a set which consists of General Melchett’s lavish office and the cramped
living quarters of the trench.
The roles
are iconic. Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Hugh Lawrie had great chemistry as
our trench heroes whilst Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny and Rik Mayall created the
crazy characters elsewhere. The good news is that from the moment Jonny
Woollett started as Edmund Blackadder, the long time professional soldier, it
was clear that the casting had been perfect. Blackadder is all for self
preservation and staying alive. Andrew Neale is the overly positive Lieutenant
George who cannot wait to go over the top and give the Germans “six of the
best.” Joe Costigan appears as Baldrick, representing the humble Tommy, he
isn’t entirely sure why there is even a war.
Running for
over 2 ½ hours we get to see our heroes avoid going over the top by
entertaining the troops, running painting competitions, joining the Flying Corp
and hunting German spies in a hospital. The script allows for a large number of
regular laughs and the audience were regularly laughing at some classic sit-com
gold one liners. One of the reoccurring themes is that back office is run by
Captain Darling (Ian Cairns) and Woolett is able to get his Blackadder to
insult his fellow Captain everytime he refers to him by name. Even Darling’s
commanding officer General Melchett (Mike Fleetham) causes Darling to visibly
wince by the tone in which his name is spoken.
Each
episode has additional characters to add to the general mayhem including the
flamboyant air ace Lord Flasheart (James Mitchinson) who has a very non-PC view
on life.
The sound
design by Jonathan Mellor was of the usual high standard one has come to expect
from Tyne Audio. The incidental recordings came across at the same level as the
performances on stage, which isn’t always the case in shows. We had a few first
night nerves with the lines but it is an incredible amount of dialogue to
deliver. Whilst most of the transitions ran smoothly, occasionally the change from the trench to the office led to a long pause. Having said that, the comic timing as they appeared in the living quarters at just the right moment in the dialogue was perfect.
Blackadder
Goes Forth is a fabulous tribute to the men and women who served during the
Great War. This production, just like the TV series, keeps the laughs flowing
right up to the end. Directors Bryan Watson and Chris Johnson obviously
understand why the original series was so popular. But at the end the laughs
stop as the lads climb the ladders out of the trenches in the Big Push. A
fitting tribute included a perfectly observed minutes silence at the end and a
collection for the Royal British Legion.
Review by Stephen Oliver .
The Tour:
Saturday 11th November
North Shields Exchange
Sunday 12th November
Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House
Tickets:
Booking line 0844 2491 000 or online from our affiliate Eventim UK LINK.
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