Elizabethan chaos arrives this month as Blackadder II takes to the stage, drawn from the original television scripts by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis.
UpStage Theatre will perform the production across three venues, including Act 1 Theatre in Strathpine from 6-7 March and Wonargo Revue in Northgate from 13-22 March, before taking the show to Kingaroy on Saturday, 28 March.
Virginia Gray, UpStage Theatre president and founder, said bringing the television series to the stage, without the magic of the camera, had required creative staging.
“A friend said, ‘No one ever does Blackadder,’ and I never step away from a challenge,” Virginia said. “I always have a cunning plan.
“The script is straight from the TV show, courtesy of the book, Blackadder, The Whole Damn Dynasty. Blackadder was written in the 80s, so very tongue-in-cheek. We know there are diehard fans out there, and we wouldn’t want to disappoint by being Nonny-Nonny’s and changing it.”
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The production is directed by Alex Lanham, who has previously worked with Brisbane Arts Theatre as an actor and director, and features Shaun King as Edmund Blackadder.
“Shaun loves the show and has worked very hard to be authentic in developing the character,” Virginia said.
“Percy is played by Toby Chittenden, who also grew up in the show’s heyday and is a diehard fan. We have had a lot of fun with this character, as Blackadder’s right-hand man; the contrast between the two is hilarious.”
The cast also includes Luke Voyer as Baldrick, Aidan Willimott as Melchett, and Amanda Lay as Queenie. Shannon Bea, Nick Hurst, John McCaffrey and Lisa Ring play multiple roles, alongside Tabitha Egan and Grant Caldwell, with Carrie O’Rourke appearing as Lady Whiteadder and Nursie.
“I am having the best time portraying two such entirely different characters and working with some of Brisbane’s finest (or it may just be the turnip),” Carrie said.
John said he was looking forward to being part of a production with talented actors, great support, and plenty of laughter.
“I know the show extremely well, which meant the real challenge was resisting the urge to copy what’s already on screen and instead bringing my own take to the characters – without losing what makes them work in the first place,” John said.
Virginia said she hoped the audience would appreciate the effort put into sourcing costumes and the tight-space set design.
“I won’t lie, it can be a hard slog and then all of a sudden, the show starts, and the magic is there, and you feel proud, relieved and excited that something you helped create has come to life, and even better, you get to share it with others,” she said.
Blackadder II
- Friday, 6 March to Saturday, 7 March
- Act 1 Theatre, Gympie Road, Strathpine.
- Friday, 13 March to Sunday, 22 March
- Wonargo Revue, 62 Flower Street, Northgate
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