In the tradition of the popular re-imaginings of The Vicar of Dibley, Royal Manor Theatre Company on Portland is preparing to stage another TV adaptation. This time its an amateur dramatic interpretation of Richard Curtis and Ben Elton’s popular BBC Sitcom Blackadder. Blackadder stars Gavin Roberts as the scheming Edmund Blackadder with Sue Coleshill as his dung-breathed servant Baldrick. There is a full cast playing the familiar supporting characters and everyone is in full period costume.
The stage version covers three stories from the historic second series set in England under Queen Elizabeth in 1588. You can expect Edmund to get himself in a number of scrapes with cunning plans to curry favour at court. Whether as the new minister for “religious genocide”, who might get his beheadings mixed up. Or his mixed feelings over his perfect new manservant Bob. And adventure on the high seas whilst tweaking the nose of the deadly killer spindly fish on a perilous journey ’round the Cape of Good Hope with a crazy pirate captain named “Rum”.
The show is the directorial debut of Chris Wadley, who went to the same school as Lord Percy actor Tim McInnerny in a previous century. He said “I’m sure that these stories are familiar old friends to many of the audience, and hope that we shed new light on them for you with our interpretation”. The show runs from 24th to 29th June and tickets are available via the Royal Manor Theatre website.
