“All for one and one for all” has become more famous than many passages of the novel itself.
That is what happens to popular classics.
Audiences often know the characters before reading the book.
D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Richelieu and Milady now belong not only to Alexandre Dumas but also to cinema, television, animation and countless adaptations.
On 17 October, four actor-singers will perform a new musical version at Maison du Patrimoine TPM in Ollioules, playing all the characters in a deliberately fast and comic production. Admission is free with advance booking. Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée
Adapting Dumas requires aggressive editing. A long novel filled with plots, journeys, duels and characters cannot simply be transferred intact to a stage.
But cutting may actually preserve something essential: speed.
“The Three Musketeers” is driven by movement. Characters fight, travel, conspire, fall in love and rush towards the next adventure.
A compact musical adaptation may therefore remain faithful to the spirit of the book precisely by refusing to reproduce every page.
The performance takes place at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, 17 October at Maison du Patrimoine TPM, 20 rue Gambetta, Ollioules.
