Review: THE THREE MUSKETEERS Closes Out the Citadel Theatre's 2023/2024 Season

Country bumpkin D'Artagnan arrives in Paris bearing two of his prized possessions: his sword and a letter of introduction signed by his late father. However, D'Artagnan barely steps foot in the city before being robbed by an eyepatch-wearing swordsman. Though his letter is stolen, D’Artagnan convinces its begrudging intended recipient to recruit him into the king’s musketeers. In the blink of an eye, he finds himself fighting alongside musketeers Porthos, Athos, and Aramis, who eventually take the younger man under their wing. So begins the Citadel Theatre’s adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 classic, The Three Musketeers.

From the moment the curtain rises, the audience is immersed in the turbulent world of 17th-century France. The revolving set- a towering grid of wooden scaffolding- is especially striking during the many combat scenes, in which characters duel on the catwalks and chase each other up and down the stairs. Designed by Cory Sincennes, the set effortlessly evokes the show’s many settings from a lavish palace ballroom to D'Artagnan’s austere lodgings. Sophie Tang’s emotive lighting design and Jonathan Lewis’s epic score heighten the production’s cinematic quality and emphasize the fast-paced plot. It would also be remiss not to mention Sincennes’ intricate costume design.
Led by Daniel Fong as the daydreamer D'Artagnan, the principal cast includes Alexander Ariate as Porthos, Darren Martens as Athos, and Braydon Dowler-Coltman as Aramis. Each has his own distinct personality and are equally entertaining to watch. Other notable performances include Nadien Chu’s portrayal of the brash musketeer leader, Madame de Treville and Farren Timoteo in his roles of the foppish King Louis and Madame de Treville’s bumbling secretary, Planchet. The former adds no shortage of comic relief, especially when Planchet takes on the nefarious Cardinal Richelieu's (Scott Bellis’s) henchmen with his bare hands. Joining Bellis as the villains are John Ullyatt as Richelieu’s eyepatch-wearing spy, Rochefort, and Bahareh Yaraghi as femme fatale, Milady de Winter.
Woven through the action-packed plot is the romance between D'Artagnan and Constance (Jade V. Robinson), his landlord’s daughter. D'Artagnan falls in love with her on the spot, and Constance quickly follows suit. At times, Robinson’s portrayal borders on caricature, her voice’s pitch occasionally reminiscent of a very young girl’s. Nevertheless, the pair is endearing to watch, though their scenes together are few.

Those in search of an escapist night out will be especially delighted by The Three Musketeers. As evident by the opening night’s standing ovation, it is a bonafide hit for everyone from tweens to grandparents. Audiences can live vicariously through this swashbuckling production at the Citadel’s Shoctor Theater until May 12.

Photo by Nanc Price for The Citadel Theatre’s production of The Three Musketeers(2024), a co-production with Arts Club Theatre Company, featuring Daniel Fong, Alexander Ariate, Braydon Dowler-Coltman.

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