Plymouth Theatre Review

Blackadder II – 23rd July 2024

Family Friendly: 2/5

Easy to follow: 5/5

Must See: 4/5

Title: Blakadder II 

Venue: The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth

Date: 23rd July 2024

My father is a devoted fan of Blackadder who, like many fans, can recite its dialogue word for word. It is therefore no easy feat to successfully deliver a stage production of four episodes of Blackadder II in front of such an audience, and not have the Queenie’s of the crowd calling for your head – but this is exactly what The Tamaritans achieved with their production at Theatre Royal, Plymouth. 

It is difficult to find a balance between providing the audience with what they were expecting, and making the production your own. Of course, the script and characters are predetermined, and the audience, rightly or wrongly, will be comparing the actors’ performances to those of the original television cast, so the success of the production relies almost solely on the portrayal of the characters and authenticity of the sets and costumes. In this regard, it was evident the episodes used (‘Head’, ‘Chains’, ‘Money’ and ‘Bells’) were well studied in order to translate them to the stage in a satisfying show worthy of the original. 

No one understood this assignment more than Jodie Haughton, whose portrayal of Queenie was a delight to watch. Haughton was able to capture the tone of Miranda Richardson’s performance almost perfectly, from the high-pitched, screeching voice, to the emotional transitions from hot-temperedness, to spoilt, to sickly sweet, she projected all the amusements and frustrations of a woman who must always get what she wants.

Likewise, Owen Lawson’s portrayal of Baldrick was reminiscent of Tony Robinson. Even in the background, Lawson remained in full character, looking gormless or standing with raised brow, capturing the vacancy of the original character. Lawson’s ‘common’ voice and hunched movement lent authenticity to the imbecilic character, while his shuffling runs and comic timing highlighted his natural comedic ability.

Another standout performance was that of Noel Preston Jones who played Lord Melchett. Preston Jones’ portrayal of the ‘kiss-ass’ Lord is easily understated because of the subtlety of the character, but the performance was absolutely perfect. Preston Jones showed constant deference to the Queen with the mere tilting of his head in her direction, and his raised brow and cupped hands hands perfectly encapsulated Stephen Fry’s interpretation of the character, without needing to mimic him completely. 

Blackadder, played by Clive Lovett, and Lord Percy, portrayed by Steve Baker, were performances bursting with energy. Fans will remember Roman Atkinson’s dry, sarcastic rendition of Blackadder, who, most of the time, is so resigned to being surrounded by idiots, he hasn’t got the energy or inclination to converse with any rigour. Lovett’s elevated energy instead produced a more frustrated and angry interpretation of Blackadder, providing a convincing if slightly different character who was nonetheless enjoyable to watch. Likewise, Baker’s enormous energy as Lord Percy felt slightly too exaggerated at times. However, handkerchief forever elevated in hand, Baker managed to provide consistency to the portrayal and made the role his own. Baker’s high-toned voice was sometimes so high you could not hear what he was saying, however, it matched the energy of his physical bounciness well. I particularly enjoyed his erratic arrow-shooting whilst skipping around the dancing Blackadder and Kate, the energy and absurdity of which encapsulated his portrayal of the character.  

A large supporting cast rounded out the production, often taking on multiple characters each, which is no easy feat. For the most part, these characters were well executed and in keeping with the comedic tone of the show. Special mention must be made to Catherine Teague, specifically for her roles as Mrs Farrow and Molly, both of which were full-bodied and therefore memorable, and to Vince Sutton, whose portrayal of The Bishop of Bath and Wells in particular was as commanding as the original rendition. It is also worth mentioning that whilst they stayed true to the television series, The Tamaritans did include their own character in the form of a Sign Carrier (played by Ami Philpott) to highlight breaks in the tale or the passing of time. The introduction of this role worked well as it allowed the group to inject their own humour and writing into the production without detracting from the authenticity of the adaptation. For example, when bearing a sign informing the audience of the internal, Philpott rotated the sign so it instead read ‘Bugger off cretins’, leading to laughter from an audience who were not expecting it.

For an amateur production, the sets and costumes were admirable. Queenie’s throne in particular was elegant, encrusted with faux gems and placed upon a platform adorned with luxurious curtains. The height of her throne meant that Haughton’s feet were unable to reach the floor, allowing her to add to Queenie’s childish character by swinging and wiggling her feet. The remainder of the set consisted of a raised platform which became a both a prison and a bedroom, and a chair, foot stand and shelving unit to represent Blackadder’s home. These three set pieces were on the stage for the entirety, and the use of lighting allowed certain sets to be highlighted when necessary. This method of production meant less time had to be devoted to set changes while the action on stage was not impeded. An alchemy table with various bottles was small but effective, but what stole the show in the prop department was the smoking cauldron, which continued to produce vapour whenever opened, providing a magical moment in the scene. 

In terms of the sets and costumes however, it was the costumes (by Pearl Potts and Rose Gamble) that proved most impressive. Queenie’s dresses were ornate, exaggerated in size, and predominantly red, creating a vision of royalty without a royal budget. It was ensured that Blackadder’s trousers were suitably tight in line with his character, that Percy’s costumes were colourful in line with his, and that Baldrick’s rag-coloured, baggy over shirt befitting his status. Kate’s costume as Bob was simply stunning, and Nursey’s purposefully awful cow udders were even better than the those used in the televised series. 

The production ended with the ‘Blackadder’ theme, sang initially by the Sign Carrier before the rest of the cast joined in while taking their bows, which was a charming way to end the performance. A few stumbling lines and a delay at the start notwithstanding, The Tamaritans’ rendition of Blackadder II was energetic, comical and well produced, despite the risks involved in tackling such a well-loved series. Whilst some of the characters did not quiet encapsulate their televised counterparts, the commitment to their performances was unquestionable, the sets and costumes were well-executed, and the essence of Blackadder II was successfully served to a satisfied audience. I’m sure Queenie will let them keep their heads.