Barbershopera: The Three Musketeers

Fringe favourites Barbershopera are back with a vengeance (and swords) in their take on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel The Three Musketeers. D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis remain, but gone are the traditional elements of the chivalric tale, and in their place, a mission to save the town of Pissypooville. Sophisticated humour it is not.

Saddled with two useless brothers (one who thinks he is a pomegranate and another with a crippling fear of otters), Nicole D’Artagnan is sent to Paris to save their town from the evil grasp of Cardinal Rich Tea. Japes in floppy hats and pantaloons quickly ensue, and under her new mustachioed alias, Nicholas, she joins the Musketeers. The quartet are soon drafted in by King Louis XIII to retrieve his golden plums—an invaluable love token foolishly given to his concubine, the Duke of Buckingham—and hotfoot it to England to protect the monarch's reputation and prove their worth.

It’s all for fun and fun for all in this madcap musicomedy, which peppers the 17^th century story with closet homosexuality, comedy wigs and lively harmonies. Rob Castell’s turn as the fabulously camp Duke is expertly judged, and a number revealing his penchant for spanking is comedy gold. The rest of the songs are somewhat more obvious, however, and this leaves the piece missing a certain spark. But the foursome work well together, and their unfettered enthusiasm makes for enjoyable viewing.