CTW
at the Old
Court
Theatre Chelmsford
11.12.2014
Here's
the Old Court Blackadder company reunited one last time – packing
the theatre every night and raising funds for J's Hospice.
A
merry
Christmas jape,
with the story of Ebenezer's conversion wrapped around the Amy and
Amiability episode from series
three.
Dean Hempstead directs a cast of curious characters, from the obese orphans to the low-rent
sci-fi denizens of Queen
Asphyxia's court,
introducing several new faces to this stage – notably Georgina
Whittaker as Queenie and Natalie Davies as Millicent – and one old
face in a new guise: Terry Cramphorn as the Beadle and the effete
Duke of Cheapside.
Kevin
Stemp relishes the chance to revive his Prince Regent
and his [Tudor] Melchett, Christine
Davidson plays the grasping Mrs Scratchit, Robin
Winder is the wailing Caledonian Ghost [and bluff industrialist
Hardwood], and the incomparable duo of David Chilvers and Mark
Preston give us various Blackadders [superbly delivered with
immaculate timing] and the eternally downtrodden Baldrick, forever
at the mercy of “the horridest man in the world”.
Scene
changes are always going to present a challenge – Mozart, parlour
music and Silent Night are rolled out to cover; especially successful
was the virtue-of-necessity carol just before the delayed dénouement.
Flying
squirrels, mulled wine by the hearth in the foyer, two convivial
intervals and a double helping of
classic comedy make this an ideal panto
alternative for
the run-up to Christmas. Totally
sold out; but might be worth turning up early in the hope of the odd
return ...
