Toe of frog

“All for one, and one for all.” The familiar cry of the three musketeers. The blood-chilling sound of metal upon metal as swordsmen fight and good battles evil in 17th-century France. Although in this adaptation the story is more about D’Artagnan and the politics surrounding the period rather than the swashbuckling deeds of the three musketeers, it’s still a delightful mixture of lighthearted comedy and startling dramatic moments.

Making its California debut as part of the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival, The Three Musketeers—directed by City College Theater instructor Kim McCann—stars plenty of local talent including Gregory S. Hanson as our hero D’Artagnan, Dana Lee Strickland as the wonderfully villainous Mlle. De Astree, Kathrine Pappa as Queen Anne, George Schau as the scene-stealing Planchet and Chris Richards as Bonacieux. With a superb supporting cast as well as excellently placed leads, the show takes on a dynamic aspect and delivers the high-quality production audiences have come to expect from the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival over the past 16 years.

At times the plot seems to get lost within the three-hour production, but it always manages to weave its way back to an entertaining storyline. With authentic period costumes and an innovative use of set and lighting, the production lends itself well to the outdoor theater of William Land Park: the perfect setting to bring a light dinner, a bottle of wine and a sense of heroic adventure.