The Four Musketeers

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The Four Musketeers: A Swashbuckling Spectacle on the West End

The Four Musketeers, a musical with music by Laurie Johnson, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and a book by Michael Pertwee, premiered at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the West End on December 5, 1967, following previews from December 2. Directed by Peter Coe and produced by Bernard Delfont, this adventurous romp ran for 462 performances, closing on January 11, 1969. Loosely based on Alexandre Dumas’s *The Three Musketeers*, it starred Harry Secombe as D’Artagnan and Aubrey Woods as Cardinal Richelieu, delivering a blend of swordplay, romance, and humor. With Sean Kenny’s inventive sets and a robust score, the show thrilled audiences in a post-war West End craving grand escapism, leaving a legacy as a spirited, if overlooked, musical adventure from the swinging sixties.

Origins and West End Premiere

The Four Musketeers emerged from Pertwee’s playful adaptation of Dumas’s classic, paired with Johnson’s orchestral flair fresh from *The Avengers* TV score and Kretzmer’s witty lyrics, later famed for *Les Misérables*. Its December 1967 opening at the historic Drury Lane, a venue tied to spectacle since 1663, followed a tumultuous rehearsal phase Sidney Tafler and Joyce Blackham exited, replaced by Glyn Owen and Elizabeth Larner at short notice. The cast, including Stephanie Voss as Constance and Kenneth Connor as Louis XIII, brought star power, with Secombe’s comedic chops from *Oliver!* leading the charge. Its 462-performance run marked it as a hit, buoyed by Delfont’s flair and a London eager for heroic tales amid the cultural buzz of the late 60s.

The Plot: Swords, Schemes, and Songs

In 17th-century France, young D’Artagnan dreams of joining the Musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis only to stumble into a web of royal intrigue. After saving Constance from rogues, he’s roped into thwarting Richelieu’s plot against Queen Anne, who’s gifted diamond studs to the Duke of Buckingham. Milady de Winter, a sultry spy, aims to foil them, sparking chases from Paris to Baden-Baden. D’Artagnan’s two-step with the Musketeers and a masquerade ball pile on the chaos think swordfights and mistaken identities before he outwits Richelieu, reuniting the studs with the Queen. It’s a rollicking romp of loyalty and love, punched up with musical flair, ending in a triumphant salute to “all for one.”

Standout Performances and Staging

Harry Secombe’s D’Artagnan was a tour de force his robust tenor and comic timing shone in “Give Me a Man’s Life,” earning nightly roars. Aubrey Woods’s Richelieu oozed menace, while Elizabeth Larner’s last-minute Constance brought tender grace to “What Love Can Do.” Glyn Owen, John Junkin, and Jeremy Lloyd as the Musketeers flexed chemistry and swagger, with Sheena Marshe’s Milady a seductive standout. Coe’s direction paired Kenny’s vast, ship-inspired sets with balletic swordplay, filling Drury Lane’s grandeur. Johnson’s orchestra swelled the score, though some critics found its humor broad. The cast’s energy honed amid cast swaps made it a visual and vocal feast, a swashbuckling spectacle that lived up to its billing.

Musical Score and Reception

Johnson’s score galloped with vigor “The Regiment of Musketeers” set a rousing tone, “Masquerade” swirled with romance, and “Strike While the Iron Is Hot” gave Milady bite. Kretzmer’s lyrics, like “Think Big” and “Cherchez la Femme,” laced Dumas’s derring-do with 60s wit. Critics praised its “lively” spirit (*The Stage*), though some sniffed at its “panto-esque” excess yet audiences lapped up its 462-performance run, a solid hit against *Hello, Dolly!*’s dazzle. “There Comes a Time” and “A Little Bit of Glory” lingered as earworms, with no cast recording to preserve them, a sore miss for fans. Its blend of orchestral pomp and playful lyrics bridged operetta and modern musical, a crowd-pleaser that roared through Drury Lane.

Legacy Beyond the West End

After its 1969 close, *The Four Musketeers* toured UK provinces but skipped Broadway, its scale and British humor a tough sell stateside. Unlike *The Three Musketeers*’s 1928 and 1930 runs, it hasn’t seen major revivals its 60s vibe and lack of a recording dimmed its star. Secombe’s fame soared post-show, while Kretzmer’s *Les Mis* eclipsed it. Pertwee’s script lives in archives, a relic of a West End flexing post-war muscle. Its 462-performance legacy outdid many peers, yet it’s a footnote to *Cats* or *Phantom*. A 2018 nod in *The London Stage in the 20th Century* revived interest, hinting at a swashbuckling sleeper awaiting rediscovery, its musketeer spirit undimmed by time.

Why The Four Musketeers Endures

*The Four Musketeers* captivates with its sword-clashing gusto and heart a Dumas tale retooled for a 60s West End craving heroes. Secombe’s D’Artagnan and Johnson’s score, from “Baden-Baden” to “Got a Lot of Love to Give,” fuse adventure with melody, a tonic for a swinging London. Its 462-performance sweep reflects a Theatreland eager for grand yarns, its Musketeer bond a timeless cheer. Too tied to its era for frequent revival, its charm lies in its bravado a musical that thrusts and parries through history, proving “one for all” can still rally a crowd. In a West End of evolving tastes, it’s a rousing echo of a bolder, brassier stage.