A cunning plan: Blackadder comes to Northland

Blackadder (Tom Evans), Queenie (Lucy Victory), Melchett (Lloyd Jerome) and Nursie (Les Robinson) from an upcoming Kerikeri Theatre Company production of Blackadder: the Golden Age. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Harley Alexander has a cunning plan.

A plan so cunning, it may just lure theatre-goers out of their homes for the first time since the great Covid plague.

His plan involves enlisting some of the Far North's best actors, convincing a seamstress to sew some stunning Elizabethan costumes, and recreating one of the funniest TV series ever to grace New Zealand screens.

Alexander, the director, said Kerikeri Theatre Company's "Blackadder" was a mash-up of four episodes from the second TV series, set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

"It combines the most precarious situations Blackadder finds himself in and ends up in all sorts of hilarious outcomes. All the memorable quotes are in there, and everyone knows a quote from Blackadder. Even if it's just, 'I have a cunning plan, my lord'."

Alexander said the series lent itself perfectly to the stage.

"It works really well because it blends those episodes with one storyline — it's the age-old story of boy meets girl disguised as a boy, boy falls for boy/girl and questions his sexuality, boy is kidnapped, boy is in danger of having his head cut off, boy wins girl, and so on."

It would also be Kerikeri Theatre Company's first travelling show since the raunchy "Ladies' Night" left a trail of blushes around Northland in mid-2019.

The show would start in Whangārei's OneOneSix on October 15-16 then head to Te Ahu in Kaitaia on October 21-22 before wrapping up at Kerikeri's Turner Centre on October 28-30.

Blackadder (Tom Evans) and the cast of next month's Kerikeri Theatre Company production of Blackadder: the Golden Age. Photo / Peter de Graaf

As a travelling show, it was necessary to shrink the set so it could be staged in small venues and set up in less than an hour.

Alexander cautioned theatre-goers against expecting a huge, elaborate set.

"It's quite minimal, deliberately. Think of it as a fantastic radio play with fantastic costumes. The focus is one of the funniest scripts ever written, in my view, and the acting is absolutely key."

Most of the actors in "Blackadder: the Golden Age" would be known to regulars at Far North theatre productions.

Kerikeri's Tom Evans (Blackadder) had previously starred as Rene in "'Allo 'Allo!", Fagin in "Oliver!", and Max in "The Sound of Music".

Lucy Victory of Doubtless Bay (Queenie) played Maria in "The Sound of Music" and Nancy in "Oliver!".

Kaikohe's Willi Henley would perform five different roles in "Blackadder", including Lord Flashheart and Evil Prince Ludwig.

"And he's brilliant at every one of them. All the actors are perfect for their roles. There's no weak link in the show. For a local production, we have an extraordinary talent pool to draw from," he said.

Blackadder (Tom Evans) with, from left, Lady Whiteadder (Vivian Thonger), Percy (Adam Parmenter) and Lord Whiteadder (Willi Henley). Photo / Peter de Graaf

Key backstage roles were held by Teresa Wakelin (producer) and Jenny Blackler (costumes).

The BBC TV series, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton with Rowan Atkinson in the starring role, was adapted by Jason Fraser.

Alexander said theatre-goers hoping to see Blackadder's hapless sidekick Baldrick hatch one of his cunning plans would not be disappointed.

"There will be cunning plans, several of them in fact."

■ Go to www.kerikeritheatrecompany.co.nz/blackadder for more information.