Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeersshakespearenj.org/OnStage/2019/The_Three_Musketeers/THREE...

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey 2019 THE THREE MUSKETEERS: Know-the-Show Guide

Ken Ludwig’s

The Three Musketeers

Know-the-ShowAudience Guideresearched and written by

the Education Department of

Artwork by Scott McKowen


this GuideIn

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– The Three Musketeers: An Introduction ..................................................................................... 2

– The Life of Alexandre Dumas .................................................................................................... 4

– Ken Ludwig, Adapter ................................................................................................................ 6

– The Three Musketeers: A Short Synopsis .................................................................................... 7

– Who’s Who in the Play ............................................................................................................. 8

– Musketeers Through the Ages .................................................................................................... 9

– Commentary & Criticism ........................................................................................................ 10

– In This Production ................................................................................................................... 11

– Explore Online ....................................................................................................................... 12

“Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

The Three Musketeers is sponsored in part by


The following comes from Alexandre Dumas’ preface to the first installment of The Three Musketeers when it appeared in serial form in the newspaper Le Siècle in March of 1844. Though Dumas had actually been inspired by a biography of the real-life d’Artagnan, much of the rest of this introduction is a fiction designed to excite his readers’ appetite for the tale to come.

“AUTHOR’S PREFACE in which it is proved that, notwithstanding their names’ ending in OS and IS, the heroes of the story which we are about to have the honor to relate to our readers have nothing mythological about them.

A short time ago, while making researches in the Royal Library for my History of Louis XIV, I stumbled by chance upon the Memoirs of M. d’Artagnan, printed —as were most of the works of that period, in which authors could not tell the truth without the risk of a residence...in the Bastille — at Amsterdam, by

Pierre Rouge. The title attracted me; I took them home with me, with the permission of the guardian, and devoured them.

It is not my intention here to enter into an analysis of this curious work; and I shall satisfy myself with referring such of my readers as appreciate the pictures of the period to its pages. They will therein find portraits penciled by the hand of a master; and although these squibs may be, for the most part, traced upon the doors of barracks and the walls of cabarets, they will not find the likenesses of Louis XIII, Anne of Austria, Richelieu, Mazarin, and the courtiers of the period, less faithful than in the history of M. Anquetil. ... D’Artagnan relates that on his first visit to M. de Treville, Captain of the King’s musketeers, he met in the antechamber three young men, serving in the illustrious corps into which he was soliciting the honor of being received, bearing the names of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.

An Introduction

The Three Musketeers:

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Illustration of Alexandre Dumas by Maurice Leloir (1851-1940) in a woodgraving by Jules Huyot, 1894.

ARTISTIC LICENSE: FROM PAGE TO STAGE

“I want the audience to come out feeling exhilarated. I want them to feel that they’ve taken part in one of the great stories of all time — that they’ve laughed, been frightened, cried — felt a part of this magnificent world Dumas created; and I want them to feel that they enjoyed every second of it.” — Ken Ludwig, playwright and adapter

Ludwig certainly takes a artistic license in his retelling of Dumas’ classic. He ventures away from the original as he explores the sense of romantic adventure in Dumas’ story making a piece that is uniquely his own. One of the most notable changes Ludwig makes is the addition of Sabine, D’Artagnan’s younger sister. Keep an eye out for other alterations that appear in the play.


We must confess these three strange names struck us; and it immediately occurred to us that they were but pseudonyms, under which d’Artagnan had disguised names perhaps illustrious, or else that the bearers of these borrowed names had themselves chosen them on the day in which, from caprice, discontent, or want of fortune, they had donned the simple musketeer’s uniform.

From that moment we had no rest till we could find some trace in contemporary works of these extraordinary names which had so strongly awakened our curiosity.

The catalogue alone of the books we read with this object would fill a whole chapter, which, although it might be very instructive, would certainly afford our readers but little amusement....we at length found, guided by the counsels of our illustrious friend Paulin Paris, a manuscript in folio...having for title, Memoirs of the Comte de la Fere, Touching Some Events Which Passed in France Toward the End of the Reign of King Louis XIII and the Commencement of the Reign of King Louis XIV.

It may be easily imagined how great was our joy when, in turning over this manuscript, our last hope, we found at the twentieth page the name of Athos, at the twenty-seventh the name of Porthos, and at the thirty-first the name of Aramis.

The discovery of a completely unknown manuscript at a period in which historical science is carried to such a high degree appeared almost miraculous. We hastened, therefore, to obtain permission to print it, with the view of presenting ourselves someday with the pack of others at the doors of the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, if we should not succeed — a very probable thing, by the by — in gaining

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admission to the Académie Française with our own proper pack. This permission, we feel bound to say, was graciously granted; which compels us here to give a public contradiction to the slanderers who pretend that we live under a government but moderately indulgent to men of letters.

Now, this is the first part of this precious manuscript which we offer to our readers, restoring it to the title which belongs to it, and entering into an engagement that if (of which we have no doubt) this first part should obtain the success it merits, we will publish the second immediately.

In the meanwhile, as the godfather is a second father, we beg the reader to lay to our account, and not to that of the Comte de la Fere, the pleasure or the ennui he may experience.

This being understood, let us proceed with our history.”

STEALING FROM AN IMAGINARY WRITER?

“What Dumas alludes to in the

last line of the preface—when

he says to blame Dumas—is the

Comte de la Fere memoirs, which

are not real. The Comte de la Fere,

known to readers for most of the

book as Athos, is the invention of

Dumas, as is the nonexistent folio

found in the library. That did not

stop readers from trying to find the

memoirs in the stacks, and Dumas,

with his appreciation of the absurd,

even went to find it himself after

receiving an irate letter accusing

him of stealing the content word

for word.”

from CourseHero.com


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Best known as the author of two popular works, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas was born on July 24, 1802 in the small village of Villers-Cotterêts, just outside Paris. His father, a son of a Haitian slave and a marquis, served as a general in Napoleon’s army. His father was imprisoned, however, for criticizing Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt, and he died shortly after being released in 1806, leaving his family with very little financial support. Alexandre’s mother worked to provide her son with a respectable

education. Not partial to the formal education system, however, Alexandre left school and became a clerk for a local notary.

In 1822, Dumas left for Paris, where he found his passion in the literary world. A voracious reader, he quickly supplemented his spotty education. His elegant penmanship assisted in securing him a position as a scribe for the Duc d’Orleans (later King Louis Philippe). He enthusiastically explored the world of playwriting, learning from and working alongside several of the top writers and playwrights of the

age, including his friend and rival Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables).

Dumas was not wholly consumed with his work however, and was reputed to be quite a rogue in his own right, living a life that echoed the heroes he created on the page. He fathered an illegitimate son during an affair with a dressmaker in 1824, and was known to have romantic trysts with many young actresses.

In 1825, Dumas’ first play, The Chase and the Love, was presented and it marked the start of a long and illustrious career in the theatre. Hugo and Dumas are credited with launching the Romantic Movement in France, which pushed aside the Neoclassic works that were prevalent on the stages of Paris at the time. In 1827, Dumas’ third play, Henry III and his Court, was performed at the Comédie-Française to tremendous acclaim. With this work, the uneducated and relatively unknown 26 year old Dumas became a sensation. His other popular works at the time included The Tower of Nesle, Kean, and Anthony. By 1843, he had written fifteen plays.

During the 1830 Revolution, Dumas was a captain of the National Guard and a very popular public figure despite (or possibly because of) his political activities at the time. In 1832, he was struck ill during a cholera epidemic. His doctor advised him to leave Paris and to travel. His journeys took him to Austria, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and England, and became the subject of many of his essays, short stories, and novels in the years to come. In 1840, he married his mistress, an actress known as Ida Ferrier — her real name was Marguerite-Joséphine Calais. They were divorced by 1846 after Dumas had spent all of her considerable dowry.

It was during this time that Dumas began writing his most famous work The Three Musketeers, the first of three books in what

Photograph of Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), ca. 1855. From the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Collection.

The Life ofAlexandre Dumas


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became known as the d’Artagnan Romances. The other two books were Twenty Years After and The Vicomte of Braglonne: Ten Years Later, which was divided into separate novels, including The Man in the Iron Mask. This series along with The Count of Monte Cristo solidified Dumas’ position as one of the greatest writers of the 19th century.

Famous and financially secure, Dumas built his own private getaway outside Paris and dubbed it the Château de Monte Cristo. He also established the Théâtre Historique which presented a history play — often one of his own — every evening. Despite the outward appearance of success, lavish entertaining and unbridled spending soon forced Dumas to sell his home and to travel in order to avoid his creditors.

While in Brussels, he continued to write and published many works including the Volois Romances and his memoirs. When he eventually returned to Paris, he founded le Mousquetaire, a daily paper, but it folded by 1857. The remainder of his life included travels to Russia and Italy, military maneuvers in Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Red Shirt forces, and overseeing the museums in Naples. He also wrote unceasingly, penning historic volumes as well as novels.

His scandalous ways continued until his death. By the time he died, he was said to have had over 40 mistresses and fathered at least seven children (only three legitimate). He died penniless at his son’s villa near Dieppe, France on December 5, 1870. His remains were moved in 2002 to the Panthéon in Paris, and they now lie amidst the remains of other literary greats including Victor Hugo.

SELECTED WORKS BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS

-Captain Paul (1838), his first serial novel.-The Nutcracker (1844), a revision of Hoffmann’s story

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, later set to music by composer Tchaikovsky as the now-famous ballet.

-The Corsican Brothers (1844)-The Count of Monte Cristo (1844–1846)-The Pale Lady (1849), a vampire tale about a Polish

woman who is adored by two very different brothers.-The Wolf Leader (1857), one of the first werewolf novels

ever written.-The Prince of Thieves (1872, posthumously), about

Robin Hood; the inspiration for the 1948 film The Prince of Thieves.

Dumas wrote several novel series, including:-The d’Artagnan Romances: -The Three Musketeers -Twenty Years After -Ten Years Later (includes The Man in the Iron Mask)-The Valois Romances, seven novels following the royals-The Marie Antoinette Romances, eight novels

Dumas’ numerous travel books included:-A Year in Florence (1841)-Adventures in Czarist Russia, or From Paris to Astrakhan

(1858)

His Great Dictionary of Cuisine (part encyclopedia, part cookbook) was published posthumously in 1873.

Drawing of Alexandre Dumas by André Gill for the cover of LA LUNA, December 1866, University of Heidelberg.


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Ken Ludwig is a two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright who has written over 28 plays and musicals, including six shows on Broadway and seven in London’s West End. His first Broadway play, Lend Me A Tenor, won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. His other awards include the Helen Hayes Award, the 2017 Samuel French Award for Sustained Excellence in the American Theatre, the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year, and the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theater. His book

How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin/Random House, won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year, and his essays have been published by the Yale Review.

Ken’s best known works include Crazy For You (five years on Broadway, Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical), Lend Me A Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo, The Game’s Afoot, Baskerville, Sherwood, A Fox on the Fairway, A Comedy of Tenors, and a stage version of Murder on the Orient Express, written expressly at the request of the Agatha Christie Estate, which opened in the West End in 2018. His play, The Gods of

Comedy, premiered last season at The McCarter Theater in Princeton and The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.

His newest plays are Moriarty and Dear Jack, Dear Louise, which will premiere this fall at Arena Stage. On Broadway and the West End, his plays have starred Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Tony Shalhoub, Lynn Redgrave, Joan Collins, and Kristen Bell.

He holds degrees from Harvard, where he studied music with Leonard Bernstein, and Cambridge University. His work has been performed in over 30 countries in more than 20 languages, and is produced somewhere in the United States every night of the year. www.kenludwig.com

Photo of Ken Ludwig by Leslie Cashen from kenludwig.com.

About the Playwright:Ken Ludwig

SELECTED WORKS OF KEN LUDWIG

LEND ME A TENOR, 1986 (Tony Award Nominee for Best Play)CRAZY FOR YOU, 1992 (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical)MOON OVER BUFFALO, 1995 THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER, 2001TWENTIETH CENTURY, 2004THE THREE MUSKETEERS, 2006 (commissioned by the Bristol Old Vic)TREASURE ISLAND, 2009 (AATE Distinguished Play Award, Best Adaptation)BASKERVILLE, 2015A COMEDY OF TENORS, 2016MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, 2018THE GODS OF COMEDY, 2019

and be sure to check out Ken Ludwig’s book HOW TO TEACH SHAKESPEARE TO CHILDREN


A Short Synopsis

Ken Ludwig’sThe Three Musketeers:

This adaptation, which was commissioned by the Bristol Old Vic in England, is based on the timeless swashbuckler by Alexandre Dumas, a tale of heroism, treachery, close escapes and above all, honor.

The story, set in 1625, begins with d’Artagnan, a young Frenchman from Gascony, who sets off for Paris in search of adventure. Along with d’Artagnan goes Sabine, his sister, the quintessential tomboy. Sent with d’Artagnan to attend a convent school in Paris, she poses as a young man — d’Artagnan’s servant — and quickly becomes entangled in her brother’s adventures.

Soon after reaching Paris, d’Artagnan encounters the greatest heroes of the day — Athos, Porthos and Aramis — the famous musketeers. After blundering into each of them in turn, and challenging them to duels on the same night, d’Artagnan joins forces with his heroes to defend the honor of the Queen of France. In so doing, he finds himself in opposition to the most dangerous man in Europe, Cardinal Richelieu, as well as his henchman, Rochefort, Captain of the Cardinal’s Guard. Even more deadly is the infamous Countess de Winter, known as Milady, who will stop at nothing to revenge herself on d’Artagnan — and Sabine — for their meddlesome behavior. Little does Milady know that the young girl she scorns, Sabine, will ultimately save the day.

(Introduction from KenLudwig.com)7

“AUTHOR! AUTHOR!”

Since it was first published in 1844, The Three Musketeers has been adapted numerous times for the stage, film,

operas, and dance. It is interesting to note, however, that the first adaptations of the novel actually came from the writer himself!

Alexandre Dumas was already a successful playwright by the time he penned his most famous work, so it seemed quite natural for him to reimagine his novel for the theatre. Always with a mind for capitalizing on a good thing, Dumas actually adapted his novel into three stage plays: The Musketeers, which centers on the last portion of the novel; The Young Musketeers, which is most similar to the story that appears on stage and screen today; and The Three Musketeers, which combined elements of the previous two.

Illustration of The Three Musketeers by Maurice Leloir (1851-1940) in a wood-graving by Jules Huyot, from the Appleton edition, 1893.


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CARDINAL RICHELIEU (RISH-uh-loo) – Seeking power and riches, he secretly conspires against the king and queen. He is an enemy of the musketeers.

“Those reprobates, those interfering overstuffed vermin!...I really hate them.”

ROCHEFORT (ROESH-fort) – Henchman to the Cardinal, Captain of the Cardinal’s guard.

“It was part of the plan, Your Grace... They were disguised that way in order to catch the musketeers off guard.”

MONSIEUR DE TREVILLE – Captain of the musketeers and friend to d’Artagnan’s father. He is frequently annoyed by the tomfoolery of his musketeers.

“My three greatest musketeers, bested by the Cardinal’s guards...do you understand the humiliation I feel?”

MILADY, THE COUNTESS DE WINTER – She is the most dangerous woman in all of France; cunning, strong, and ruthless. Formerly married to Athos.

“You should thank me for living, because I allow you to do it.”

KING LOUIS XIII – A simple-minded and ineffective ruler who frequently falls prey to the Cardinal’s plots.

“Keep your guards away from my musketeers, or you might find yourself with a little spaciousness in your own brain.”

QUEEN ANNE – Married to Louis XIII; having an affair with the Duke of Buckingham.

“How dare you! I am the Queen”

CONSTANCE BONCIEUX – Servant to the Queen; d’Artagnan’s love interest. “I have nothing to say. I only wanted to thank you for saving

my life. It was very brave.”

D’ARTAGNAN (dar-TAN-yun) – Raised in the French province of Gascony, at 18 he is sent by his father to join the musketeers. He is brave and an excellent swordsman, but also cocky, impulsive, and naive.

“I’ve come for an interview, sir. To be a musketeer...I’m good with a sword...I’ve never shot a musket myself but I bet you I’d be good with one if I tried it. Which I haven’t. But I would be. You’d be amazed.”

SABINE (suh-BEAN) – D’Artagnan’s younger sister, she is headstrong and

determined to make her own way in the world. “You? Protect me? And why should you have all the fun? I’m as good a swordsman as you are any day of the week.”

ATHOS (AA-thoess) – Intelligent and courageous, he is the leader of the musketeers. His swordwork is precise and surgical. He is perhaps the greatest swordsman in all of France. Formerly married to Milady.

“Gentlemen listen I propose a rule for our journey. If any of us falls along the way, the others continue without him. Agreed?” PORTHOS (POOR-thoess) – One of the three musketeers, he is comic and

casually indifferent; bantering as he fights to distract his opponents and to amuse himself. “Hurry, racing, always racing. Whatever happened to civility, eh? And a fair fight?”

ARAMIS (AIR-uh-miss) – One of the three musketeers, he studied to become a priest. He is hot-tempered and romantic. His swordplay has flourishes that pay tribute to the great heroes from the past.

“I’m willing to bet this mission’s going to be more dangerous than we thought.”

in the Play Who’s WhoRendering for the traveling montage by Brian Prather, scenic designer, ©2019.


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THE THREE MUSKETEERS ON THE SMALL SCREEN:

•BBC America ran a three-

season series based on Dumas’

tale, which ran from 2014-16.

Episodes can be found at http://

www.bbcamerica.com/shows/

the-musketeers/season-1

•In 2014, South Korean

Television launched a

12-episode series loosely based

on The Three Musketeers. The

series follows three Joseon-era

adventurers who serve Crown

Prince Sohyeon as his warrior

guards. Episodes are available

on-line.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS ON STAGE:

•Kansas City Ballet

(pictured left) and Northern

Ballet (England and

Wales) have both staged

captivating adaptations of

The Three Musketeers in

recent years.

•The Classical Theatre of

Harlem’s “biff-bang-pow

production” (2017) focused

on the “extroverted and

humorous side” of Dumas’

novel.

Through the AgesMusketeers

THE THREE MUSKETEERS ON FILM:

•The 1921 silent film version starred Douglas Fairbanks as d’Artagnan. The film originally had scenes filmed in the Handschiegl Color Process, which hand-colored small portions of the black and white film.

•The star-studded 1948 film featured Gene Kelly as the impulsive d’Artagnan, Lana Turner as a captivating Milady, Vincent Price as Cardinal Richelieu, and Angela Lansbury as Queen Anne.

•Walt Disney Pictures’ 1993 screen adaptation included Keifer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and Oliver Platt as the musketeers and a young Chris O’Donnell as d’Artagnan.

•Disney’s animated film (2004) featured Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as the famous trio.

•The 2011 film adaptation, featuring Milla Jovovich as Milady, was highly praised for its striking visuals and fast-paced action sequences, but criticized for a weak script and poor direction.


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ABOUT KEN LUDWIG’S STAGE ADAPTATION OF THE THREE MUSKETEERS:

“[A] slick, swashbuckling romp that cleverly updates the Dumas

novel...Ken Ludwig’s new version of the story simply refreshes it,

distilling its energy and strengthening its timeless appeal.”

The Guardian, 2006

“Ludwig tells a pacy tale with a suitable seasonal mix of

merriment, musketeering, romance and the most gruesome stage

death I’ve seen this year.”

The Mail on Sunday, 2006

“Four stars out of four. Bristol Old Vic’s spectacular new

production certainly lives up to its swashbuckling billing. [It’s] a

mixture of love, adventure and good old-fashioned values.”

Bristol Metro, 2006

&Commentary Criticism QUOTING DUMAS’ THE THREE MUSKETEERS“All for one and one for all.”

“Never fear quarrels, but seek hazardous adventures.”

“You are very amiable, no doubt, but you would be charming if you would only depart.”

“Love is the most selfish of all the passions.”

“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.”

“All falsehood is a mask; and however well made the mask may be, with a little attention we may always succeed in distinguishing it from the true face.”

“I do not cling to life sufficiently to fear death.”

“There is no friendship that cares about an overheard secret.”

“Besides we are men, and after all it is our business to risk our lives.”

“It is only the dead who do not return.”


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InCostume renderings by Brian Russman and scenic rendering by Brian Prather

for Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers, ©2019.

this Production


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Explore Online

Selections from the Rahvusooper Estonia (Estonian National Opera) production of The Three Musketeers: a ballet by David Nixon set to the music by Malcolm Arnold, March 2010.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Szxucn0v8

A collection of Dumas’ collected writings, a short biography of the man, and a smattering of some of his more famous quotations can be found at:http://www.alexandredumasworks.com

More information about the playwright, Ken Ludwig, can be found on his website.http://www.kenludwig.com

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