Queen Anne

At the end of the performance as the actors took their bows a member of the cast called for silence and announced that this show was dedicated to Sir Peter Hall and all that he had achieved in British theatre. The audience, cast and musicians all burst into further applause, it was a lovely gesture and the show had been a fitting tribute.

It was a tale of scheming and court intrigue, an in-depth fictional look at a period of history that I am not at all familiar with and as such it was absolutely fascinating. I felt quite entranced by every character in the play, even Sarah Churchill the Duchess of Marlborough, who was incredibly manipulative and entitled aristocrat, gained some feelings of sympathy from me by the end. Everyone was a political operator working for influence with the Queen who cut a sorry figure struggling to do her best under trying circumstances.

Beyond the intrigue, we then had a series of bawdy songs and crude humour which really added to the flavour of the story causing you to chuckle away at the carousing players ridiculous antics. There was an excellent opening number really getting you in the mood and drawing you into the play. I feel every play needs some bawdy songs, they can only add to an emotional extravaganza. It was also refreshing to watch a show dominated by two strong female characters. So rare that you see two women steal the whole show in a major West End play, such a pleasant change.

I can’t deny it was a long play, possibly a bit too long and perhaps a little bit of pruning might have made it a tad slicker. But I think that might just be I was quite tired after a long day. The set is minimalistic and enables a smooth progression of the plot. The show is clever, historically fascinating, emotionally poignant; very amusing at times and quite heartfelt. I admit I felt quite moved at the end. A most satisfying show.