13th September 1999
From the 1st January 2000, as part of a Millennium Dome entry ticket, 50,000 visitors a day will exclusively see the specially commissioned feature Blackadder Back and Forth in Skyscape, the Live events venue hosted by Sky Television at the Dome. Ten years after the last television series, audiences and fans will be able to witness the latest incarnation of the Blackadder clan – set in the 20th Century – up to 20 times a day in Skyscape’s twin auditoriums, each capable of seating an audience of 2,500.
Blackadder Back and Forth has been written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, fresh from Notting Hill, the most successful British comedy ever. In addition to reuniting favourites Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, Blackadder Back and Forth stars, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tim McInnerny, Patsy Byrne and guest stars Rik Mayall, Colin Firth and the lovely Kate Moss.
The action starts on New Year’s Eve 1999 at a dinner party given by Edmund Blackadder to some familiar old friends. Blackadder and Baldrick accidentally set off on a chaotic journey through time in Baldrick’s home-made copy of a Leonardo Da Vinci time machine – but as a ruse, and never expected to actually work! And with Baldrick’s controls, typically unworkable, the duo find themselves lost in time – visiting random moments throughout British history, and creating chaos everywhere – as they try and get home for the millennium.
Rowan Atkinson commented:
“Bringing Blackadder to the big screen has always been an ambition. I am delighted to be realising it to celebrate the arrival of the 21st century, but extremely worried at the prospect of travelling through time with Baldrick.”
Tony Robinson said:
“Believe it or not, it’s almost exactly 10 years since we all got together to film Blackadder Goes Forth, in 1989. So coming together again is a bit like seeing all your old mates, who you were really close to at school. And when you haven’t seen each other for ten years, it could either be really embarrassing or it colud be a real laugh. It’s actually turned out to be a real laugh!”
And Richard Curtis added:
“It’s all an irreverent trek through British history – a time travel adventure story consisting entirely of people who are either rude or stupid.”
In 2001, Sky Television will have the exclusive UK broadcast of Blackadder Back and Forth. Sky Television is the Official Broadcast Sponsor of the Millennium Experience.
The Millennium Experience is the centrepiece of the UK’s celebrations for the year 2000. Tickets for the Dome, which go on sale on Wednesday 22nd September, will be available from 25,000 National Lottery retailers, the Dome Ticket Line on (+44) 0870 606 2000, the Millennium Experience website at http://www.dome2000.co.uk and travel agents, rail and coach companies.
What is Skyscape?
Sitting beside the Dome, Skyscape is a dramatic and attractive futuristic silver building with distinctive curved roof sails and pod entrances. recently unveiled as the UK’s biggest cinema and London’s newest live entertainment venue, visitors watching Blackadder Back and Forth will experience a state-of-the-art venue fully equipped for the 21st Century with 20 metre cinema screens. The building’s central foyer consists of a series of clear mezzanine floors and walls that will give visitors panoramic views of the Dome and the river Thames.