Certain websites have been going crazy running clips of the Welsh bodywork of the Thracian Sparty, Andy Whitfield, and the ex-“Xena,” Kiwi Lucy Lawless as Lucretia. No, not Borgia. That’s for next year. Maybe.
The show picks up from where HBO’s “Rome” left off - and left out. It is produced by Lucy’s husband, Rob Tappert, also responsible for “Xena” and its “Hercules” predecessor. “Spartacus” is on holiday at the moment
as Andy undergoes treatment in New Zealand for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
His show has grabbed the public (as much as webmasters) with some marvellous work from Scots actor John Hannah as Lucretia’s husband, Batiatus -social climbers, both, they own the ludus, or gladiator
school. “They’re a team like the Macbeths, “ says Lucy. “He’s the brains and she shores up his confidence.”

She’ll continue to stand by her man in next year’s prequel - a kind of “Pre-tacus”. And just stand-out extraordinary is Peter Mensah as Doctore. At 1.92 m. tall, he usually gets to play figures of authority. For example, he met James Cameron in a parking lot and The King of the World cast him, then and there, as the Horse Clan Leader in “Avatar.”
Much the same happened with “Spartacus.” He was hired without an audition. And he is clearly stealing the show as the kick-ass retired gladiator, the high ranking slave of the ludus owner. He trains “the beasts,” the gladiators, the old (Spartacus and Crixus) and the new.
He’s not to be argued with. He knows the arena. He actually survived his battle with the fearsome giant, Theokoles, and has the scars to prove it.

“The Roman Empire was built on slavery,” says the Ghana-born Mensah. “A privileged class versus on an underclass. Nothing new... He understands the perilous life of the slave warrior, tries to protect and prepare his charges to the best of his ability. Doctore knows the intimate and complex workings of the Ludus and Batiatus and to some extent, The Roman Way, so he walks the fine line of caring for people on both sides of
the class divide.”

Peter has been in to martial arts since six, when he was growing up in England, before emigrating to Canada. He kicked off in Hollywood and his roles rapidly improved from Hunky Receptionist and Tall Gay Basher
to General Perry in the tele- “Terminator.”

Although “Xena: Warrior Princess” finished nine years ago, Lucy Lawless remains a New Zealand icon of the first order... despite her American work in “Battlestar Galactica” and “The L Word.” “I’ve the most incredibly
loyal fans, incredibly supportive even though I go off on wild tangents. They understand the difference between Xena and Lucy and they love me.”

Lucy laughs off questions about the often full-frontal nudity in “Spartacus.” “Everyone’s got a merkin - just for fun. I haven’t had to break mine out yet. Next season, maybe! They gave the men prosthetics. I’m not sure if they’ve used them yet. Nobody’s telling!” TC
Download Program Guide (Reported by Barbara Davies)
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