The Three Musketeers - A New Musical

Set Dumas’ tales of intrigue and melodramatic action to George Stiles’ often sung-through score and what do you get? The nearest thing to a Spanish zarzuela we are likely to see on an English stage.

Paris by moonlight in 1625 brings a French tango to the city, while a troupe of musketeers praises the excitement of A Good Old Fashioned War. One cries that he loves to fight but has no idea what he is fighting for – nor do we, given the convoluted plot.

Romance is gloriously dueted by Michael Pickering as a limber D’Artagnan in two passionate seduction numbers with blonde lover Constance (a portrayal of attractive grace by Kaisa Hammarlund). And there’s a solemn musical set-piece by Paul Thornley’s Athos, a dominating figure, as he warns his friend about fair-haired women.

Inventively staged and dynamically blocked by director and co-adaptor Francis Matthews, his hand-picked cast play with all the stops out on a challenging two-level timber and rope setting by Simon Higlett. There may be a few bruises before the end of the run. But Malcolm Ranson’s choreographed sword fights swiftly build the excitement, without the body count.

Overlong, but good for older kids.