'King Charles III': How play about British monarchy is winning over critics
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
A new play that envisions the future of the British monarchy recently opened on Broadway and is winning raves from critics.聽
鈥淜ing Charles III鈥� stars Tim Pigott-Smith as Prince Charles, who has now, in the play鈥檚 story, ascended to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Upon becoming king, Charles finds himself involved in a controversy over a bill that would increase the right to privacy of individuals, thus affecting how journalists report on a story.聽
Margot Leicester stars as Charles鈥� wife Camilla, while Oliver Chris and Richard Goulding portray his sons William and Harry and Lydia Wilson portrays William鈥檚 wife Kate.
Reviewers are also noting the play鈥檚 nods to Shakespeare, especially 鈥淗amlet鈥� and 鈥淢acbeth,鈥� what with the play鈥檚 focus on a monarch, the important part played by a ghost of a relative (in 鈥淐harles,鈥� it鈥檚 a person who seems to be the deceased Princess Diana, portrayed by Sally Scott, who appears to her relatives), and the importance a prophecy has in the actions of the living.聽
People playing British monarchs onstage is a familiar sight to Broadway lately. Actress Helen Mirren portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in this spring鈥檚 鈥淭he Audience鈥� and won a Tony Award for her work (it was a role she鈥檇 previously taken on for the 2006 movie 鈥淭he Queen鈥� as well). And this year鈥檚 play 鈥淲olf Hall鈥� centered on political advisor Thomas Cromwell but featured Henry VIII and his wives Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn as central figures.聽
British monarchs being portrayed on stage and on film is nothing new. However, in the past, there were sometimes more obstacles to doing so 鈥� until the 1960s, current monarchs could not be depicted onstage by the order of the Lord Chamberlain, who could control what was staged in Britain. This is obviously no longer the case. Besides 鈥淐harles,鈥� the current royal family and their relatives have also recently been the subject of film stories, with Mirren starring in 鈥淨ueen鈥� and the 2010 movie 鈥淭he King鈥檚 Speech鈥� centering on the current queen鈥檚 father, King George VI, and his reign as well as the queen鈥檚 mother (Helena Bonham-Carter) and uncle, King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce). The queen herself and her sister are depicted in the film by young actresses. 鈥淜ing鈥� went on to win the Best Picture Oscar.
