Huddersfield Thespians have really gone ‘over the top’ with their latest production - the classic Great War comedy Blackadder Goes Forth.

This is a show that not only has a ‘megathrust’ stage at the Lawrence Batley Theatre but also a tight, laugh-a-line script forged by experienced director Alistair Cheetham.

It takes the ever-popular Blackadder characters, made famous by actors such as Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson and Steven Fry, and gives them new life in a two-act play.

“This is the first time we have done Blackadder,” says Alistair, “and it’s not just a straight lift from the television series.

“I have written the adaptation, and I’ve had access to the whole series so I’ve been able to use little bits of script from here and there. It flows in such a way that it’s non-stop and just doesn’t let up. I might get some complaints from the audience that their sides are aching.”

It’s possible for amateur societies to download entire scripts of the long-running television show, that had four series tracing the history of Blackadder and his ancestors from Elizabethan times up to the First World War (Blackadder Goes Forth), and a final scene that sees the cast leaving the trenches to go over the top. It’s not uncommon for one or two programmes in their entirety to be delivered as plays.

But Alistair says that it’s difficult to replicate a television programme on stage.

“Apart from anything else,” he explains, “the use of black-outs to move from one scene to another works very well for TV – you can end one scene in one location and then the next scene starts in a completely different location – but this is too stop/start for the stage.”

Huddersfield Thespians rehearse Blackadder Goes Forth

He felt that condensing the story into two fast-paced acts was the best way to adapt it for theatre and added: “Everyone is familiar with Blackadder but when you apply for the licence to perform it, the instruction is that you should honour the show, not copy it.

“Simon Reece, who is taking the lead, is not playing Rowan Atkinson. All the cast have looked at the characters and realised what it is that makes them stand out. But they are bringing themselves to the roles as well.”

To give the production a more intimate feel, he is employing the use of what the LBT calls a ‘megathrust’, which will bring the stage out into the audience, taking up rows A to F in the stalls.

Alistair believes this will give the play an extra dimension.

He added: “It’s almost theatre-in-the-round. We used this stage layout for our production of Happy Families three years ago and we thought it worked very well. It means the people in the side seats will have a very good view of what’s going on.”

Blackadder Goes Forth, first aired on television in 1989, will be Alistair’s seventh play as director for the Thespians and he will be taking a minor role in the production, breaking with his usual rule that he shouldn’t act as well as direct.

However, it will be leading actor Simon’s first production with the Thespians, but the two have worked together before.

Alistair explains: “We were both in a production of Someone to Watch Over You with the Halifax Thespians that won the Wakefield and Skegness Festivals and went on to win the all-winners’ award.”

Private Baldrick will be played by Joe Geddes and the role of Lieutenant George has been taken by Alistair’s son Alex Watkins (“he directed me in Christmas Carol and now I’m directing him”); while General Melchett is the “stunningly good” Max Fairhead and Adam Hartley is Captain Darling.

“We’ve had a good laugh at rehearsals,” says Alistair.

“Adam has been subjected every night in rehearsals to people shouting ‘Hello Darling’ at him”.

Blackadder Goes Forth opens on Tuesday, June 2, for five nights (matinee on Saturday).

Tickets are £10 to £14 from 01484 430528 or www.thelbt.org