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Review: The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers, written by Alexandre Dumas, with a new adaptation by Quintessence Theatre Group, reviewed by Wendy Rosenfield

    by Wendy Rosenfield
    Published 

By Wendy Rosenfield

for the Inquirer

What is it about The Three Musketeers that still captures our imagination? Quintessence Theatre Group’s new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ sprawling adventure novel makes some excellent arguments for its continued good health and longevity. The rallying cry, “All for one and one for all,” surely resonates at a time when our nation is nearly as fragmented as Dumas’ pre-revolutionary France. It also helps that the manner in which Dumas depicts serious conflicts between the church, monarchy and citizens occurs between or (better still) enables much swashbuckling and romance. 
Quintessence’s script is but the latest in a long line of Musketeers. The work has roughly 50 film credits including variants with Barbie, Mickey Mouse, John Wayne and Charlie Sheen. This time, crafted by ensemble members Josh Carpenter, Sean Close, Mattie Hawkinson and the show’s director, Alexander Burns, it’s a delightful distillation of the tale, using Dumas’ own wry, bemused and surprisingly contemporary dialogue and commentary.
In fact, Dumas himself (Anita Holland) introduces the story and our heroes (and adds an occasional observation throughout). There’s baby-faced, lion-hearted d’Artagnan (Connor Hammond), religion and romance-minded Aramis (Alan Brincks), unruly Porthos (Gregory Isaac) and cranky Athos (Michael Brusasco). Despite having a cast of 13, there’s still plenty of double-casting, which with this skilled group doubles our pleasure. Skirt-chasing, hell-raising Porthos transforms into saturnine Cardinal Richelieu; Close’s pouting, preening Louis XIII, bedecked with bows and frills, becomes d’Artagnan’s humble, loyal servant Planchet. 
Presented in the round, Burns keeps the production moving, literally, and the finest example of its multi-faceted presentation comes during a nine-person swordfight (kudos also to fight director Ian Rose) pitting the Musketeers and d’Artagnan against the Cardinal’s forces. With the quartet spinning, blades out, at center stage like a human throwing star, they separate and reassemble, felling their foes and still taking a moment to squeeze in a laugh or two. Assisting the visual marvels, John Burkland’s lighting, whether cloaking the villainous Jussac in mysterious shadow, or winkingly spotlighting a character’s internal dialogue or beauty, could be listed as a 14th performer.
Perhaps the show’s sole flaw is one of direction, with too many over-the-top insinuations that characters may be gay (A lisping monk? Really?), but that’s easily adjusted. What prevails in these Musketeers is their (and Dumas’) joie de vivre. This production only covers the book’s first half, an international intrigue regarding the queen and some absent Austrian diamonds. Like the original, which first appeared in serial form, Quintessence leaves open the possibility that the Musketeers may soon ride again. Let’s hope they do, and that once again, they bring this fantastic team along with them.

Playing at: Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Through Sun., May 10. Tickets: $15 to $27. Information: 215-987-4450 or QuintessenceTheatre.org

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    Wendy Rosenfield