My new concert? It’s as festive as a big Christmas pudding that’s painted itself red and white, pulled a cracker and put on a T-shirt that says I love Santa
Star’s hope as modern nativity tale is shown on the BBC
Sir Tony Robinson has revealed his cunning plan to become part of the traditional festive celebrations.
The former Blackadder star has written a modern interpretation of the Nativity story, which he will be performing at the V& A Dundee.
His concert, The Three Ships, which he created with University of Aberdeen composer Professor Paul Mealor, will be screened as part of BBC Scotland’s Christmas Celebration programme tomorrow.
It is the second year his story has been staged – and there are already plans in place for next year, with Game of Thrones and Mrs Wilson star Iain Glen taking on a major role.
Tony said: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it became a Christmas tradition? I don’t think you can do anything in the hope that will happen.
“We never created Blackadder thinking it would become a tradition. You just do it as best as you possibly can and occasionally things take off more than you predicted.
“That seems to be happening to Three Ships. We performed it last year in Aberdeen and London and it was received incredibly well.
“Iain, who is an ex- student of Aberdeen University and a friend of mine, can’t do it this year, although he will be able to do it next year.
“There’s talk of it being staged somewhere in New York and doing a much bigger television version. I hope Scottish audiences will enjoy it and the reaction will be strong enough to make sure we get an even bigger version next year.”
The staging of The Three Ships, which will be broadcast on BBC1 on Christmas Eve at 11.45pm, will see Tony read excerpts from the story at the V& A while choirs perform in a service at Dundee’s St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral.
The actor, presenter and writer said: “We thought it would be great to compose something which addresses modern-day issues but gives us the opportunity to sing the carols we all love.
“The three wise men, or in my case the two wise men and one w i se woman, all come to Israel in three dif ferent ships. But the Israel I have set it in, which is in the 2nd Century AD, is an occupied country, ful l of refugees, wal ls, the constant movement of people, violence and thwarted politics.”
Tony was Baldrick in Blackadder, the final series of which epitomised the tragedy of World War I. And he’s been delighted by the way a new generation have marked the centenary of the end of the conflict.
He said: “It ’s great a new generation is taking the sacrifice our people made in those two world wars terribly seriously but re- f inding new ways of memorialising them.
“It’s something I don’t think anyone expected and, in a way, it’s not dissimilar from me trying to find a new vocabulary to talk about the Christmas story.”
There’s talk of Three Ships being staged in New York next year