Le Navet Bete Recruits ‘Best In The Business’ To Take Three Musketeers To New Comedy Levels
Photography by Matt Austin
After their last show Dracula: The Bloody Truth was licensed worldwide and enjoyed a sell-out run in Canada, the award-winning Le Navet Bete are back with a hilarious new version of the classic tale The Three Musketeers.
Building on Dracula’s success, the Exeter-based physical comedy theatre company have turned to hugely experienced set designer Ti Green and internationally renowned choreographer Lea Anderson to lift their latest production to a new level.
This new co-production with the Exeter Northcott Theatre is the company’s fifth full-length indoor touring show and once again sees them team up with long time co-conspirator and legendary comedy writer and director, John Nicholson, who is co-artistic director of Peepolykus and has written extensively for BBC Radio 4.
The creative team will be joined by vastly experienced choreographer Lea Anderson MBE, founder of The Cholmondeleys dance company, and critically acclaimed theatre designer Ti Green, who brought the Peruvian Andes to the Bristol Old Vic for last year’s national tour of Touching the Void.
Audiences are invited to join hot-headed D’Artagnan as he rides to Paris astride his questionable steed determined to become a Musketeer, armed only with a baguette, his childish excitement and a sense of misplaced bravado.
Will things go to plan? It’s unlikely. With four actors and over 30 characters this will be their most hilariously chaotic adventure yet!
Director and writer John Nicholson said:
“The Three Musketeers is a really fun prospect for Le Navet Bete. It’s a widely known and well-loved story which is often played for laughs in amongst the drama. But in Le Navet Bete’s hands you can be sure it will hit the funny bone hard. With just four performers, it’ll be a distinctive offering.
“We’re especially excited to be working with designer Ti Green and choreographer Lea Anderson - two people who are nationally recognised as being amongst the best in the business.”
Daniel Buckroyd, Artistic and Executive Director at the Exeter Northcott Theatre, said:
“Exeter Northcott Theatre is delighted to be working in partnership once again with one of the UK’s leading comedy theatre companies as they bring their unique approach to a touring production of The Three Musketeers, with no doubt hilarious and swashbuckling results.”
Al Dunn co-artistic director of Le Navet Bete said:
“This year we’re thrilled to be creating a Three Musketeers unlike any other. It has all the elements of an epic story that we can turn inside out and put our chaotic comic spin on to make the show burst off the stage – literally! We’ve got the best creative team we’ve had to date behind us on this so expect big laughs, unexpected characters and a night at the theatre you’ll never forget.”
The company went into rehearsals on Monday 18th March at locations around the city including the Exeter Phoenix. The show will open at the Exeter Northcott on Wednesday 1st May before embarking on an 11-venue national tour. More dates in 2019 and 2020 are to be announced.
To view touring dates for The Three Musketeers and book your tickets, click here.
