The Three Musketeers Opens at the Bristol Old Vic to Rave Reviews

Ken Ludwig's adaptation of The Three Musketeers, which was commissioned last year by the Bristol Old Vic in England opened this week to rave reviews from the critics and sheer happiness from the audiences.The Bristol Evening Post gave it Four Stars Out Of Four and said: "The Bristol Old Vic has come up with a real winner for its festive production. Ken Ludwig's adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's classic yarn is completely in keeping with the most popular Hollywood versions."The Bristol Metro also gave it Four Stars Out Of Four. It said that "Bristol Old Vic's spectacular new production certainly lives up to its swashbuckling billing. [It's] a mixture of love, adventure and good old fashioned values."And the national newspaper The Stage called it "Breathtakingly authentic. Just the right seasonal mix of low comedy, stirring music, catchphrases ancient and modern and designs that suggest Hollywood in its heyday."The production is directed by Timothy Sheader, whose Twelfth Night was a huge hit last year for Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. The fight choreographer is Richard Ryan whose credits include the amazing fight choreography for the film "Troy" (as well as the upcoming film of "His Dark Materials").The cast includes George Rainsford as D'Artagnan, making his remarkable professional debut, straight from RADA; and the three musketeers are played with panache and humor by Gerald Kyd as Athos, Paul Agar as Porthos and Vyelle Croom as Aramis. Samantha Robinson plays D'Artagnan's cheeky kid sister Sabine; Robin Sebastian is the evil Cardinal Richelieu, Laura Rogers is the even more evil Milady, and Marchello Walton is Treville, brave Captain of the Musketeers.The production continues through January 20, 2007