Writer: Le Navet Bete and John Nicholson
Director: John Nicholson
The Arthurian legends are among the most malleable pieces of literature. They have provided the basis for musicals such as Camelot, animated films such as The Sword in the Stone, and live action films from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, to the satirical Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The physical-comedy troupe Le Navet Bete, combining with Writer and Director John Nicholson, have put their own stamp of silliness on the Arthurian romance. In their version of the mythic tale, Arthur is concerned about Camelot’s legacy. Three gormless squires persuade him to stage “Arthurfest”, a celebration of the legends on which Camelot is founded. Except there aren’t any. Or at least the hapless trio, Osbert, Edgar and Dave, cannot elicit anything worthwhile from the leading figures at King Arthur’s Court. In desperation, and fear of the consequences should the show not happen, they decide to create an enhanced version of the Camelot myths, after first learning how to read and then act.
The second half of the show is largely taken up with re-telling of the key Arthurian legends themselves: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Percival and the Black Knight, the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot, doomed brothers in arms Belyn and Belan, and the Lady of Shalott. Morgana, mother of Arthur’s idiot rival, Mordred, conspires to thwart the knights’ endeavours throughout. To no avail. The squires’ dramatic embellishments of the legends provides the foundation for the re-telling of the Round Table stories down the centuries.
The plot itself is not, however, the most important element of the play, although it is helpful to provide a structure for the comedy. This largely derives from the fact that the entire production is staged by only three actors: Nick Bunt, Al Dunn and Matt Freeman. The chemistry between them is electrifying. They play multiple roles, brilliantly, have over 90 costume changes in the course of the show, and throw themselves around the stage with so much energy and enthusiasm that it is exhausting to watch them. Much of the humour derives from our knowing that they are constantly switching between characters in seconds flat for the action to flow.
The choreography and timing of the acting has to be razor sharp to work, which it largely is. And when it isn’t, it is even funnier. So when an actor becomes tangled up in a rope, or falls off a stool, and corpses his colleagues, the audience share the delight in the disaster. There is no pretence that this is anything other than three guys mucking about in tights and pretending to be medieval, while archly referencing the chivalric code as a tool of the patriarchy, and the honours system as a corrupt chumocracy. The audience are part of the action, from the latex fruit to throw at the stocks, to Lancelot’s distribution of French Fancies.
The set is surpringly elaborate for a touring production, and ingeniously flexible. The sound and light team have less flexibility, as the precision required with these effects in such a fast-paced production creates significant challenges. Music is used at various points in the play to enhance a scene, or give a fresh comic slant on a situation. So when the three squires are condemned to the stocks they break into Queen’s high camp I Want to Break Free. When seeking to escape Camelot they borrow Iron Maiden’s Run to the Hills. Later Merlin leads an audience sing-along to Cher’s If I could Turn Back Time. The sequined squires’ finale was a crowd-pleasing Oh What a Night. Or maybe “Knight.”
This is precision engineered physical comedy which manages to have its tongue in its cheek, and its willy on its head, and its heart on its sleeve all at the same time. That’s some combination, and it works.
Runs at The Lowry until 28 September, then touring nationwide until 2 November 2024.
The Reviews Hub Score
Fizzing!
