BlackAdder

What a great night of laughter! The packed auditorium was treated to three episodes from the BBC’s classic comedy Black Adder - and from the best series as well, set in the Elizabethan years with Queenie, Nursie, Percy and co.

Taken straight from the TV scripts, the biggest staging challenge is how to comfortably jump between the many short scenes without the help of magical on-screen editing. ANTs setup their stage so it didn’t have to undergo major scene shifting, with three distinct areas - Blackadders’s house, the Throne Room and a third generic area that became any other setting required. This meant that the action slipped between scenes smoothly without any distracting scene shifting. This worked well, although the comic timing in and out of scenes was hampered somewhat by slow lighting cues, some of which needed to be set as snap blackouts instead of slow fades.

Visually the stage was fairly sparse (with a few modern elements like chairs and a folding card table that were out of place), while the costumes were so fantastic that they dressed the set each time someone walked on. They were detailed and true to the original show (maybe with just one wedding dress that looked a little modern) - Blackadder’s out fit was particularly detailed and Queenie’s gown was spectacular! I certainly hope those codpieces were properly risk-assessed, because they could have someone’s eye out!

The character of Blackadder has to hold the show together and although tonight’s worked hard I’d have liked the sarcasm to be ladled on a lot thicker. His faithful sidekick, Baldrick, had fantastic comic timing while Lord Percy managed to play the dimwitted nincompoop well and probably acquired several bruises in the process!

Over in the Throne room was the other trio of tudor talent (nice bit of alliteration for you there!), all very well suited to their parts. Queenie played the petulant child splendidly, while Melchet managed to throw around some wicked ‘looks’ (mostly daggers at Blackadder!) and quietly going mad in the corner was the fabulous Nursie. It’s easy to say that the script provides all the funnies, but if the performer doesn’t have good timing, the script is nothing. Nursie and the rest of the principal cast understood that and delivered great performances.

Backing them up were a small supporting cast, several of whom appeared in different guises in each episode. Stand outs were the striking (quite literally) Lady Whiteadder, the groin-thrusting Lord Flashheart (loved the ad-libs in the audience) and the ‘delightful’ Mrs.Ploppy. But as a whole, the entire cast worked well here.

The weakest element was the decision to sing each of the episodes ‘end title’ songs a cappella. It meant that the final punch lines we’re left hanging, crying out for a blast of ‘BlackAdder! BlackAdder!’.

The thing I loved the most was knowing that the ANTs had had to forego their normal ‘cabaret-style’ seating to fit in every member of their excited audience, who’s laughter spoke volumes about their latest production.

Thanks for an hilarious evening, from your whole audience.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.