Don’t miss it! The Three Musketeers Trois!
What a fantastic evening I had at The Barn Theatre in Cirencester recently. I was invited along to the press night to see the opening of The Three Musketeers Trois! – a new musical adventure – adapted by Alan Pollock.
I have been to many Barn productions, but this special Christmas performance is undoubtedly the best so far and should not be missed. It’s on until 4th January 2025, is the ideal replacement for the usual festive pantomime and is definitely a wonderful New Year treat.
It always amazes me how clever the behind-the-scenes team are at making the best use of the stage to magically transport the audience to places anywhere in the world – in this case Paris in the 1700s and even Downing Street outside number 10!
Some of the actors took on more than one part – how they do that is beyond me. How can you change from one character to another completely different character just by changing costume? Amazing, talented and absolutely inspiring.
Sam Denia (I remember him from the Barn’s recent interpretation of ‘Some Mothers Do Have ‘Em’) played Cardinal Richelieu, Rochefort and the Duke of Buckingham. He had the audience gasping for breath and holding their sides with his crack-you-up comedy, especially when little snippets of Frank Spencer slipped inadvertently – or maybe deliberately – through Denia’s lips.
Somehow these talented actors and actresses also manage to mesmerize the audience with their musical and singing talents. French oom-pah, busker ballads played on an accordion; melancholy melodies tugged the heart strings of the violin and then fast-forward to the modern-day rock bands reminiscent of the Barn’s ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ – thanks to AJ Jenks, who is well cast as Athos.
It goes without saying that the costumes are stunning as they are designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and are totally flamboyant and outrageous. I would love to have in my wardrobe Milady’s (Ella Rose Thomas) spectacular scarlet bouffant dress that swished and swirled with each exaggerated movement of her hips.
The whole sell-out audience was totally in awe of these gifted thespians and the artistic behind-the-scenes writer, composer, musical arranger, lyricist and director.
Music and Lyrics by Lee Freeman and Mark Anderson, Directed by Bryan Hodgson and Set and Costume Design by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
Vive la France! Long live the Barn!
