An adventure awaits this week at York Theatre Royal as the illustrious Le Navet Bete are back with another side-splitting story to share.
King Arthur may feel like a familiar tale to some, but this interpretation is like no other as we step into a world of delightful chaos.
King Arthur is at York Theatre Royal from Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 March.
I would try to give a brief summary of this plot but quite frankly it would be impossible – and almost insulting – to try to capture the pure brilliance that took place onstage. Just as they described the land of Camelot, the production ‘had no parameters of logic’, and it was wonderfully erratic.
With just three actors and an extremely hard working stage manager, they were able to hook the audience in from their very first appearance on the stage – and despite the mile a minute script and the abundance of intertwining stories, they never lost this connection.
It was a fantastically camp start, with the opening chords to Queen’s ‘I Want To Break Free’ silencing the audience and enabling the actors to command the stage with infectious energy that never once wavered. And wow did they know how to set a bar high – bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘baring all’ and setting a precedent for the show.
Kids will absolutely adore it, guardians may momentarily question their own parenting decisions but soon both generations will settle in for a night at the theatre they won’t forget! This isn’t just another night of classic children’s theatre; with a Horrible Histories meets Fawlty Towers feel, there’s something for everyone.
One of the most successful elements of this production was the set, costume and prop design, each adding significantly to the overall performance. Fi Russell and the rest of their fantastic production team created a perfectly fitting home for the mischief and mayhem to take place, with a plethora of well thought out props and costumes that helped transform the characters before our very eyes – and extremely quickly may I add!
So who are these multi-roling geniuses or should I say silly squires?! Le Navet Bete consists of a trio of actors, Nick Bunt, Al Dunn and Matt Freeman, who bring us side-splitting comedy with every show. Whilst many of their biggest influences may be older television shows, this show still feels fresh, original and is extremely well received.
Speaking to Freeman after the show, it was no surprise to hear of the genuine long-term friendship and brotherhood they share as a group. Forming during their training at university, I could see glimpses into the unimaginable tomfoolery that must have taken place and still does, as we witnessed on stage tonight. Costume mishaps, accidental falls and cleverly timed corpsing only conjured up even more of a reaction from a thankful audience. They certainly know how to handle a crowd!
I would highly recommend this production to children (7+) and adults alike; you are promised a non-stop evening of entertainment from a small group of actors who have a bottomless-pit of talent at their disposal. They are all legends (insert dramatic power grab here), so don’t miss out on seeing King Arthur this week at York Theatre Royal, showing until Saturday 23 March.
Tickets for King Arthur start from £15 and are available via the York Theatre Royal website.