Blackadder Goes Forth

Once again, in my capacity as NODA Assistant Representative, I had the pleasure of visiting the wonderful West Cliff Theatre to watch Blackadder Goes Forth, presented by the ever-talented Clacton Amateur Dramatic Society. This well-known and much-loved comedy was brought to life on stage in a truly excellent production, and everyone involved with this superb show should be immensely proud of their achievements.

Performing in a large venue with a capacity of 575 is no small task, and on the evening I attended, 187 tickets had been sold and there was superb atmosphere in the theatre, which is a tremendous accomplishment and testament to the popularity and quality of their work.

High praise must go to the cast, who succeeded in bringing great life and believability to these iconic characters from television. Callum Winterford delivered a very strong portrayal of Blackadder, demonstrating excellent comic timing, sharp wit, perfectly delivered put-downs and confident stage presence. Keith Sippitt worked hard as Baldrick, successfully capturing the foolish, scatterbrained yet loveable nature of Blackadder’s loyal sidekick. John Thomson brought George Colthurst St Barleigh to life with strong timing and very effective interaction with his fellow cast members.

James Hooker played Captain Darling well, continually attempting to trip Blackadder up at every opportunity and ultimately meeting his fate on the front line. Ian Lockey gave a delightful performance as Sir Anthony, beautifully eccentric and suitably over the top and Charlie Vaughan’s wonderfully wicked portrayal of the flamboyant Lord Flashheart was another stand out moment.

Strong support also came from Alexandra Winterford (Bobby Parkhurst), Howie Aylward (Baron von Richthoven), Gemma Todd (Frau von Gerhardt) and David Lye (Field Marshall Haig), all contributing to the very high standard of this production.

The entire production team deserves enormous praise for their outstanding WW1 trench set. Director Alexander Bass kindly allowed me to view the set close up after the performance and the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail was remarkable. Alexander is to be truly congratulated for having the vision to bring this show onto the stage and must be so proud of everyone involved.

The final scene, as the characters went over the top into battle, was phenomenal – poignant and deeply moving, enhanced by superb lighting, the playing of The Last Post and poppies gently fluttering.

A brilliant production and a huge well done to everyone involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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