Synopsis

Act One - France, 1625

D'Artagnan heads for Paris, his dream to join the King's Musketeers. Young & headstrong, he soon experiences the rougher edge to the city and somehow manages to pick separate duels with each of 'The Three Musketeers', namely Porthos, Athos & Aramis!

Meanwhile, a distraught Anne of Austria entrusts a dangerous errand to her lady in waiting, young Constance Bonacieux. Anne is secretly consumed with guilt over her forced condemnation of son King Louis XIV's twin brother Philippe to the harsh clutches of the Bastille.

Come the day of the duels the Cardinal's men, led by Jussac, happen upon the scene and attempt to arrest the Musketeers. Clearly outnumbered, the Musketeers accept an offer of assistance from D'Artagnan who fights valiantly and with flair, eventually forcing Jussac and his guard into retreat.

A furtive Bonacieux is accosted in the shadows by a still enraged Jussac, who has sordid plans for her! D'Artagnan is close by and sensing danger he beats off the drunken attacker. Bonacieux is safe and the two are immediately attracted to one another.

The next day King Louis XIV is secretly delighted at the news of defeat for Jussac and implicitly, the Cardinal, so he appoints the protagonists to serve him personally as 'The Four Musketeers!'

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Bastille a despairing man asks so many questions and can find no answers....!

 

Act Two - Ten Years Later

Aramis is now Bishop of Vannes and he secretly visits a prisoner locked in the Bastille. Aramis informs him that he is in fact the younger brother to King Louis XIV of France and was plunged into obscurity by the order of his late father, King Louis XIII. Aramis vows to set Philippe free!

Aramis requests a pardon directly from King Louis XIV for a youth named Seldon. With this pardon in hand, he makes a secretive social visit to the Governor of the Bastille, Baisemeaux, who is an old musketeer friend. Aramis gets Baisemeaux drunk, switches the original pardon for a forgery in the name of Philippe, who is duly released into his care.

King Louis XIV is kidnapped from his bed and replaced by a nervous Philippe. Louis is returned to the Bastille claiming a mistake and takes the place of his long-suffering brother!

The next morning is tense and emotional. Philippe's demeanor so contrasts with that of the unjust Louis and he finally sets eyes upon his mother for the very first time! D'Artagnan is increasingly curious and when Philippe signs a decree with the wrong hand, the deception is discovered!

D'Artagnan is incensed and vows to stand by his 'true' king, Louis XIV. He allows his fellow to flee but immediately releases Louis, who banishes Philippe to a life spent in an iron mask and orders D'Artagnan to seek out and arrest the escaping conspirators.

D'Artagnan is poised for a dramatic showdown with fellows who have already joined forces and pledged to free Philippe! Will he choose King or Musketeers; does he pursue friends or foes?

D'Artagnan now faces his greatest challenge!

 

KEVIN JOHN HEUSTON - Bookwriter/Lyricist

Kevin Heuston was part of Sylvia Young’s original Young Un’s agency and stage school and he performed alongside Nick Berry, Frances Ruffelle, Matthew Ryan and Paul De Freitas, in their regular showcase stage productions. He began his professional acting career at the tender age of 9, as he was chosen to play the role of Oliver Twist in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Oliver! ; staged at the Albery Theatre in London’s West End. He then took on the role of Louis Leonowens in Ross Taylor’s lavish London Palladium production of The King & I, playing opposite Yul Brynner & Virginia McKenna and he was proud to be asked to perform at the Royal Premiere.

Following the success of The King & I, Ross Taylor then cast Kevin as Friedrich von Trapp in the record breaking production of The Sound of Music at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London, which starred Petula Clark. Kevin also had the privilege of traveling to Salzburg, Austria with the late Maria von Trapp herself, to promote the production. Taking a short break from professional acting, Kevin then concentrated on undertaking formal drama training as well as studying theatre, television & film at A Level at Barking College, East London. He took on the role of Toby Veck in The Chimes as well as playing Francis Flute alongside Marianne Jean Baptiste’s Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Kevin graduated in 1986 and went on to take on leading UK TV roles in Casualty & Grange Hill for the BBC.

Further musical theatre credits followed including playing Phineas T Barnum in Barnum, Eugene in Grease, Jack in Sondheim’s Into the Woods and Sam Weller in Pickwick. Kevin also took on the role of Claude Frollo in the London Premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Mermaid Theatre. The composer of that piece was none other than John Trent Wallace and he and Kevin became firm friends during the course of this production. Kevin broadened his horizons from acting to writing to collaborate in writing All 4 One the Musical with John.

Kevin and John were delighted that Josef Weinberger acquired the amateur and professional performing rights in 2006. This has led Kevin to focus back on professional acting and he is now solely represented by West End Agency S.C.A Management. Kevin is a UK Equity Member and will feature in the Spotlight Actors Directory 2008 and online at Spotlight Casting Live.

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JOHN TRENT WALLACE - Composer

John’s musical theatre compositions include for All 4 One with Kevin Heuston, The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Gary Sullivan and a new full score for David Wood’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, with many musical arrangements for other David Wood plays, choral compositions and arrangements, and music for a BT Global Marketing campaign to his credit.

He studied piano, violin and singing under scholarship at The Redbridge Music School. As a boy treble, he sang for four seasons at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in Mozart’s The Magic Flute alongside Kiri Te Kanawa and Thomas Allen. He also toured Europe with The English Music Theatre Company, a sister company of The Royal Opera House, performing in Britten’s Three Church Operas under the musical directorship of David Bedford. ITV’s South Bank Show filmed a production at Britten’s local church at Orford for use in a documentary about Britten’s life.

John’s new compositions include The Great Sleigh Robbery with Simon James Green and The Gardener and the Sea with Susan Pleat. The Great Sleigh Robbery will receive it’s premiere at Brentwood Theatre, Essex in December 2006.

His musical activities are varied and include leading Brentwood Borough Council’s Music Bus which develops children through music and recording, Resident Musical Director of Brentwood Theatre and Music Director of The South Woodham Ferrers Male Voice Choir. He is also an active Musical Director and Tutors at Performing Arts Colleges and Universities.