Review: THE THREE MUSKETEERS, La Navet Bete - Theatre Royal Plymouth

Photo credit: Mark Dawson Photography

The Theatre Royal Plymouth is the largest regional theatre in the UK, providing a home for large scale touring productions as well as acting as a producing house for new work. When it was forced to close its doors in March 2020 due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the future looked uncertain as the building stayed dark and the statue ‘Messenger’ stood lonely guarding the door and wearing her face mask. Over the festive season, it could be said that the Theatre Royal Plymouth was one of the lucky ones, as it did manage to get a pantomime up and running, albeit for a run that was cut short by the move into tier three and the plunge back into lockdown. Now, more than 12 months on from the first enforced closure, the theatre’s doors are open again to socially distanced audiences, and it only feels right that one of the first shows back on the Lyric stage is one from popular Devon-based theatre company, Le Navet Bete. 

The first in a season of three shows, along with Treasure Island and 400, the four-man crew return to the Theatre Royal Plymouth with their unique comedy take on the classic, The Three Musketeers. Al Dunn, Nick Bunt, Matt Freeman and Dan Bianchi take on the task of playing over 40 characters between them, with stage manager Abi Cowan called on stage to assist with costume changes and effects, in moments that border on the style of Annie in Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong. The cast make it look easy to change costumes at the drop of a hat as they rush around the intricately designed set, made up of stairways and ladders connecting two raised platforms and a den-like space underneath, built to resemble the group’s childhood treehouse as the cast explain at the beginning of the show. 

The story of The Three Musketeers in its original 700-page form may be a little complicated in places, but this production picks it apart and presents it in a way that audience members of varying ages can understand, complete with jokes that sail over children’s heads in pure pantomime style. Al Dunn plays the teenage dreamer D’Artagnan, who wants nothing more than to be a musketeer and save Queen Anne’s lady in waiting Constance (Nick Bunt) from the all too common kidnap ordeals. Bunt also plays Cardinal Richelieu who claims throughout that he will prevail in his attempts to tear King Louie and Queen Anne apart and gain more power, whilst changing costumes quickly to also play musketeer Aramis. Dan Bianchi switches from role to role, jumping from musketeer Athos to British prime minister Buckingham, whilst Matt Freeman earns many a laugh as femme fatale Milady de Winter who uses her powers of seduction to trap and get rid of whoever the cardinal wishes gone in return for large checks and the promise of a meerkat called Keith.

Le Nevet Bete have taken this famous adventure story and given it their classic style, with rapid fire quick changes, silly jokes that can border on childish but effective all the same and that sense of it just being four best mates having a laugh and bringing stories to life just as they did as children. With bikes and scooters becoming horses, sticks becoming swords and toy ducks thrown around in reckless abandon, the power of the imagination takes centre stage and draws you into the story completely. Any slip ups with costumes or lines are handled expertly and become a part of the fun with the cast happy to make a joke about themselves and break the fourth wall. They don’t take themselves too seriously and have a contagious energy that lifts the entire story. 

With The Three Musketeers only running for a couple of performances, La Navet Bete moves onto Treasure Island before premiering their new work 400, in line with the Mayflower 400 celebrations.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rebecca Wallis

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Please note this review also appears on the Musical Theatre Lives In Me blog.