King Charles III

He thought the day would never come. At last Charles III has ascended to the throne and we meet his ever so familiar family mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II. There was no need to waste time introducing most of the characters. We know Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and Harry already. Each eliciting a laugh when we recognised them.

The playwright could cut to the chase of an epic constitutional crisis making November 11, 1975 look civilised.

In marches a Welsh accented Labour Prime Minister for his first meeting with the freshly minted monarch. Charles immediately provokes him by declining to sign into law a new piece of legislation restricting the freedom of the press, egged on by a conservative Opposition Leader.

After waiting, waiting, waiting to be King – Charles becomes the most interventionist monarch in centuries.

Despite the grief caused by the press to the Royal family, Charles is determined to block the law.

Much of the dialogue is written in the most delicious iambic pentameter, giving us a hint at how Shakespeare might have written the play.

Like any classic Shakespearean play there is a sub plot, which in this case provides comic relief.

Prince Harry has fallen in love with a commoner and asks his father to be relieved of his royal duties.

If King approves it can through boredom work.

We make no fuss ‘cept that I have moved,

got job.

And will no longer take the civil list

I’ll have no role official and not prince,

I’ll live a life of normalcy, within

This country, rather than atop the mound

Unearthed and with a target on my back.

The cast, direct from Broadway, was splendid. Robert Powell did not impersonate Charles but treated him like an epic Shakespearean leading character with a fatal flaw. The stand outs were Tim Treloar as the withering Prime Minister and Richard Glaves as the tortured Harry.

As enjoyable as their performance was – looking around the opening night audience I couldn’t help but wonder how an Australian cast might have added another layer to it. How about Hugo Weaving as King Charles and Richard Roxburgh as Prince Harry? Maybe they will get a chance another time. This is a cracker of a play that is an instant classic.

David Spicer

Images: Robert Powell and Tim Treloar & Richard Glaves, Jennifer Bryden, Robert Powell, and Carolyn Pickles  in King Charles III

Photogrpher © Prudence Upton.