Ben Elton would be up for making a ‘Blackadder’ play, but only if creator Richard Curtis is “interested”.
Ben Elton would be up for making a Blackadder play
The 64-year-old comedian, who co-wrote the BBC sitcom, is keen to pen an “original play” based on the TV series, rather than adapt any of the iconic comedy’s episodes.
He told The Sun newspaper: “A ‘Blackadder’ play, if Richard was keen on it, I’d be interested.
“Not an adaptation of episodes, it would be an original play.
“When I wrote ‘Upstart Crow’ I did three series and three Christmas specials for TV, which was a load of writing, but I’m proud of the fact I then did an original play.
“If we were to do that with Adder it would be the same.”
‘Blackadder’ ran for four series in the 1980s, as well as three specials, including one that was broadcast on New Year’s Eve 1999.
Rowan Atkinson portrayed lead character and antihero Edmund Blackadder, and Sir Tony Robinson appeared as his dogsbody, Baldrick.
Ben admitted it would be “up to them” if any of the original cast – who include Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry – would like to take part in the play.
He added: “If they want to be in it, that’s up to them.
“But with ‘Blackadder’, there’s four figures who have a say in it: Me, Richard, Rowan and John Lloyd, who was the producer.
“So if anything happens, it’s down to us. Who knows if we could ever make it happen.”
In July 2021, Richard insisted he would’ve “died” if he had made any more ‘Blackadder’ series.
He said at the time: “The process – I would’ve died. Seriously, it was just too hard.
“Also by series four we were writing to match tropes that we had already done. That’s a very dangerous thing.
“I think we got out before it became a trope where we were imitating ourselves.”
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