Review

The Talisman put on an evening of four of the six episodes from the final Blackadder series. The sell out of the run is an indicator of its continued popularity, even though the dénouement epitomises the tragedy of the First World War.

John Ellam’s set captured simply but unmistakably the trenches with ladders going ‘over the top’, which were visible throughout as a reminder of what awaited the soldiers, while a clever rotating platform to one side gave three smaller sets of the dugout, the general’s office and the hospital.

Rob Jones portrayed upper class twit George superbly with voice, mannerisms and facial expressions, oblivious to the appalling survival rate as he reeled off the list of those with whom he enlisted with who were now dead. Connor Bailey was excellent as Private Baldrick, unaware in his ignorance of the insults thrown at him by Captain Blackadder (Nicky Cheung). The three main characters gelled together comfortably on stage.

It is easy to overdo things in the role of General Melchett, but John Nichols did well to give the part the right amount of pomposity without over-exaggerating. There were relatively fewer jokes playing on Captain Darling’s name than this reviewer remembered, but Alan Wales conveyed Darling’s subtle vindictiveness as he persisted in trying to engineer Blackadder’s downfall. Darling’s failed pleading with Melchett not to be sent to the front was suitably pathetic and self-serving.

The final scene was disappointing as the soldiers could be seen running off to the side rather than being silhouetted going over the top of the trench. Richard Curtis and Ben Elton’s script dragged with repetition of the same kind of verbal jokes, often based on similes and exaggeration, when four episodes were heard in succession on one evening. It is nearly 33 years since it aired and the series showed its age. However The Talisman did well delivering this ambitious production.

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