‘PUNCH’: (left to right) Sam Robards, Victoria Clark, Camilla Canó-Flaviá & Will Harrison. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

PUNCH
By James Graham
Based on the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne
Directed by Adam Penford
Through November 2, 2025
Manhattan Theatre Club
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47^th Street
https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/shows/2025-26-season/punch/

By Scott Harrah

Punch is an intense drama based on the true story of Jacob Dunne (Will Harrison), a British man who killed another with one single punch. The play is also based on Mr. Dunne’s autobiographical book Right from Wrong, telling how a moment of violence in a small English town changed his life forever.

The crime

The play opens as Jacob, a 19-year-old working-class guy, stands on a bridge over the River Trent in Nottingham, U.K. Jacob lives for drugs, parties and violence. He gets into a fight with James Hodgkinson, a 28-year-old trainee paramedic. The audience never actually sees the victim. A single punch kills James, and Jacob’s world is immediately shattered.

After a trial, Jacob is convicted of manslaughter and goes to prison. In a strange twist, he is offered a chance to participate in a “restorative justice” program. He is asked to meet with James Hodgkinson’s parents, Joan (Victoria Clark) and David (Sam Robards). This is an attempt to give Jacob a sense of mercy and rehabilitation while helping the victim’s parents heal emotionally.

Restorative justice

The second act chronicles Jacob’s journey through the restorative justice program. He first starts writing letters to the victim’s parents and eventually has an in-person meeting with them. With the help of caseworker Nicola (Camila Canó-Flaviá), Jacob must come to terms with the gravity and scale of his crime. In the process, Joan and David learn more about the details of the night their son was killed, allowing them to move past the trauma and have a sense of closure.

Does the message work for U.S. audiences?

Considering that Punch is a British play, the idea of restorative justice might work across the pond. However, in 2025 America, the concept on the surface seems too idealistic in our divided nation, one in which mass school shootings and political violence are so common that many feel inured by the news about them. Or could the concept work here? Many believe in reform for the criminal justice system in the U.S. due to a high incarceration rate, overcrowded jails and the need for decriminalization of misdemeanors. So, restorative justice is a concept that has both pros and cons, depending on one’s political views.

Razor-sharp direction of fine ensemble

Director Adam Penford does an outstanding job directing the fine ensemble. With unique staging—including a metal bridge—and great sound design, this production conveys the requisite sense of violence and danger in this dark setting.

Will Harrison as Jacob is consistently brilliant. He is the narrator, tortured protagonist and vulnerable all at once, and has the unique ability to make us feel true empathy for a not-so-likeable character.

Equally noteworthy is Victoria Clark as Joan, the victim’s mother. She never comes across as mawkish or saccharine, and conveys a true sense of wanting to forgive the man who killed her son. Sam Robards is also sublime as the husband and grieving father, frustrated by the whole bleak situation.

The ensemble cast members often take on multiple roles, and do so with deft precision.

Punch is an incisive drama packed with emotion and a sobering, thought-provoking message about crime, punishment and the criminal justice system in both the U.K. and USA.

Published October 9, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on October 4, 2025

‘PUNCH’: Cody Kostro & Will Harrison. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘PUNCH’: Victoria Clark and Sam Robards. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘PUNCH’: James Harrison. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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‘LIFE OF PI’: Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) & Hiran Abeysekera Photo: Johan Persson.

LIFE OF PI
Based on the novel by Yann Martel
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Max Webster
Wyndham’s Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London, United Kingdom
(0844 482 5138), www.lifeofpionstage.com

By David NouNou

Life of Pi is an enigma. Like War Horse, it is epic in every sense of the word. Whereas War Horse was always engrossing in a straightforward narrative, the narrative in Life of Pi is continually shifting between past and present. This type of storytelling can be riveting in movies as demonstrated in the 2012 Ang Lee film of the same name. In movies, the director and editor can develop a seamless scenario. In the theatre, those same scenes don’t come off as effectively because the narrative is constantly being interrupted by past/present scene changes and that can sometimes break the flow of the storyline.

Starting with Pi (Nuwan Hugh Perera) under his bed in an antiseptic hospital room in Mexico, he’s being questioned by Lulu Chen (Kirsten Foster), a Canadian government figure and Mr. Okamoto (David K.S. Tse), a Japanese insurance man. They want to know how this 17-year-old boy survived for 227 days and was washed up on the Mexican shore after being shipwrecked from a Japanese freighter bound for Canada. Pi has struggled with grief, loss, loneliness, physical pain and still survived.

He is reticent to talk to them at first and finally does open up to explain his childhood in India, his parents, sister, his relatives, and the zoo that his father owned. The zoo was a magical place for Pi; it housed a gorilla, a giraffe, a zebra, among other animals and Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger supreme.

Pi’s father (Nicholas Khan) and mother, also overseer and protector during his ordeal (Mina Anwar) and family are forced to leave India due to the increasingly repressive government.

As the journey begins, so does the magic created by set and costume designer Tim Hatley. Turning the hospital room and bed into an ocean and a boat is nothing short of extraordinary and a visual extravaganza. As Pi jumps ship after being sunk in a storm, his companions consist of a giraffe, zebra, and gorilla and Richard Parker. I don’t have to go into detail about the giraffe, zebra and gorilla. Suffice it to say the battle is between Pi and Richard Parker and their mutual understanding of each other. What I do have to mention is the remarkable work done by puppet designers Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell as well as the puppet movement by director Finn Caldwell. They make you forget that Richard Parker is a puppet and not a real tiger.

Unlike the movie, which relied mostly on special effects to engage the mass audiences, here religion and metaphysics play a big part in Pi’s survival and it is manifested in the scenes between the hospital and the ocean. At our performance, the part of Pi was played by the understudy, Nuwan Hugh Perera. He marvelously captures Pi’s innocence in the beginning as well as his struggles and ordeals with life, religion, and survival.

Mina Anwar gives a very touching performance as Pi’s mother and overseer. Special kudos have to go to the handlers of Richard Parker: his head, his hind, and his heart, and his masterful voice, (Habib Nasib Nader).

Despite all the shifting and interruptions of scenes, the West End stage adaptation of Life of Pi is still a journey of mystical belief and an unforgettable visual treat and experience—one you will remember long after leaving the theatre.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 13, 2022
Reviewed in London on June 13, 2022.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Marquee at Wyndham’s Theatre in London. Photo: StageZine.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera, Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) & Nicholas Khan. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera & cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera & cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Romina Hytten (Goat) & Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: The cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

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‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren as Tina Turner. Photo: Manuel Harlan

TINA
Book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar & Kees Rins
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Choreographed by Anthony Van Laast
Through July 20, 2019
Aldwych Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London, United Kingdom
(0845 200 7981), www.tinathemusical.com

By David NouNou

Tina Turner is a force of nature, a hurricane. There are very few artists where you just mention their first name and you see their entire portfolio appearing in your mind. Tina is among those superstars: Aretha, Barbra, Cher, Diana, Donna and Meryl (I threw her in just because she is my favorite actress of all time), just to name a few; no need to say their last name as it would be redundant and stating the obvious.

Tina the Musical is more than a jukebox musical about an artist and her song portfolio inserted into it to recapture nostalgia. Tina actually has a book that is logical and makes sense of the artist’s life. Of course their will be portions or parts that would be missing, that is the nature of a musical; you have to stay on course to hold the audience’s attention

Starting out in Nutbush, Tennessee, her birth place, singing in her father’s ministry, abusive father, deserted by her mother, living with her grandmother and savior, moving to St. Louis at 16 and reconnecting with her mother, marrying Ike and her tumultuous relationship with him, attempting suicide, from stardom to the depths of poverty and depression, going out on her own and rebuilding her career in the record industry and sold-out concerts around the world, to the supernova she is today. It is all here. There is an important aspect that is just mentioned as a blip, and that is her conversion to Buddhism. In fact, it was an integral part of her life; her faith in Buddhism was her salvation.

In addition, there are also her songs that are sung intact and not just snippets: “River Deep, Mountain High,” “Proud Mary,” “Nutbush,” “Let’s Stay Together,” “Private Dancer,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” and many more. What is unique here is that the songs come in sequence and are not randomly inserted for the sake of “keep the musical moving” as in the current misconceived Broadway production of Summer – The Donna Summer Musical which I’m sure will no doubt move to London in the near future. The Brits can’t get enough of songbook musicals.

As I stated earlier Tina, the singer, is bigger than life, so the performer that plays her has to capture that essence of Tina’s magnetism. It is not enough to just sing the songs well; you have to transform to be Tina. At the performance we attended, unfortunately the incredible Tony-nominated Adrienne Warren who portrays Tina was on holiday. Being familiar with Ms. Warren’s work, from seeing her in New York in Shuffle Along and Bring It On, I can only imagine the fiery charisma she brings to the character of Tina. At our performance, the role of Tina was played by Aisha Jawando. Credit is certainly due to Ms. Jawando for giving a good performance, singing all the songs well, and the high energy she emits. Unfortunately, she lacks the Tina sparkle that is so unique to Ms. Turner.

A cautionary word to our readers: In London, unlike New York, when a star, lead, or performer is not performing at that performance, there are no announcements, or inserts in the souvenir brochures (what we call Playbills in New York), so you have no idea of which actor is out. We found out about it accidentally as we were picking up our tickets. A big discredit to Ms. Warren, but we enjoyed the show regardless. We can’t wait for Tina to cross the Atlantic and land on Broadway with Ms. Warren as Tina.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 8, 2018
Reviewed at June 21, 2018 performance in London

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren & cast. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: (left to right) Hannah Jay-Allen, Adrienne Warren, Perola Congo, Sia Kia as the Ikettes. Photo: Manual Harlan

‘TINA’: The cast. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA”: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith & Madeline Applah. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren & Jammy Kasongo. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren (center) & cast. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA”: Adrienne Warren & Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren & Lorna Gayle. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Adrienne Warren. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Aisha Jawando. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Jammy Kasongo. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Baker Mukasa & Kit Esuruoso. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Ryan O’Donnell. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Gerard McCarthy. Photo: Manuel Harlan

‘TINA’: Jason Langley & Kayleigh McKnight. Photo: Manuel Harlan

The post ‘Tina’: Turner’s life & hits | London Theatre appeared first on StageZine.

OF DAME GILLIAN LYNNE

MONDAY 2 JULY 2018

LONDON–Theatres across London’s West End will be dimming their lights at 19:00 tonight (2 July) in memory of the British choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne, who died on Sunday evening aged 92.

Before this evening’s performances begin, lights will be dimmed for one minute as a tribute by the theatre industry and audience members to the legendary choreographer, who began her career as a ballet dancer and went on to work on more than 60 shows across the West End and Broadway, including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running musicals Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.

Dame Gillian received a Special Olivier Award in 2013 for her contribution to theatre. Last month, the New London Theatre (current home of Lloyd Webber’s School Of Rock The Musical) was renamed the Gillian Lynne Theatre – making her the first non-royal woman to receive this honour.

The tradition of dimming theatre lights has long been performed in the West End to pay respects to theatre’s most renowned contributors.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre, said:

‘Dame Gillian Lynne’s contribution to theatre was inestimable. Her career, which spanned over seven decades, encompassed performance, choreography and directing. She worked across so many of the West End and Broadway’s top venues and productions, and won numerous awards and accolades. We are proud to celebrate her extraordinary legacy tonight in the West End.’

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 2, 2018

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AN IDEAL HUSBAND
By Oscar Wilde
Directed by Jonathan Church
Through July 15, 2018
Vaudeville Theatre
London, United Kingdom
(0330 333 4814), www.classicspring.co.uk

By David NouNou

At first glance on perusing what to see in London when you are there for a short visit, An Ideal Husband may not seem like a “go to” show. Then you consider that 85% of the musicals in London are the same as on Broadway, so An Ideal Husband becomes a refreshing change. Being presented as a year-long tribute to Oscar Wilde, the event started with A Woman of No Importance with Eve Best and Eleanor Bron, followed by Lady Windermere’s Fan with Jennifer Saunders, and after Ideal Husband will be followed by The Importance of Being Earnest.

What drew me to the show was the cast headed by Edward Fox, Susan Hampshire, Nathaniel Parker, Frances Barber, and Freddie Fox, son of Edward Fox. However, one can never underestimate the crisp and biting dialogue in an Oscar Wilde play. It is very refreshing to see a genteel drawing room comedy of social values and intrigue of the upper classes as in harsh contrast to the vulgarities of our day. This is the type of play that is frequently presented in London but rarely seen on Broadway.

Set in the late 1890s at Sir Robert Chiltern’s (Nathaniel Parker) house in Grosvenor Square, a lush dinner soiree is taking place. Idle chit chat with barbs are being thrust about the idle rich. In comes Lady Markby (Susan Hampshire), bringing with her an uninvited guest, Mrs. Cheveley (Frances Barber). Mrs. Cheveley is a former classmate of Lady Chiltern (Sally Bretton); naturally they have a mutual hatred of each other since school days. Lady Cheveley is a scoundrel and manages to get her way through any means conceivable.

On this particular night, Mrs. Cheveley has come to ask Sir Robert for a special favor. She has invested heavily along with her friends in the Argentine Project, which has gotten a bad rating from the House of Commons but because she is heavily invested in it, she would like to have Sir Robert reverse the rating and say that it is a good project in front of the House of Parliament. It goes totally against Sir Robert’s moral standing, until she produces a letter that Sir Robert wrote when he was in his early 20s, to a colleague, documentation that was entrusted to him in secret, about the benefits of the Suez Canal. This misstep that he made as he was climbing up the ladder of success made Sir Robert very rich and gave him his high standings and the rank he is now enjoying. Sir Robert is considered the paragon of decency and virtue and now a letter he wrote in his youth could strip him of his wealth, standing, home, family and mostly love of his wife if he doesn’t do what Mrs. Cheveley asks.

Thus Sir Robert’s dilemma and the intrigue begins. What makes this a delightful evening is Wilde’s delicious take on morality, fidelity, women’s roles, folly of the youth, love and dalliances, and especially honor. All these topics are infused with his razor-edge wit, and all presented in a most fastidious way by director Jonathan Church.

The acting is precise and on point by the five stars mentioned earlier. Edward Fox is splendid in the role of The Earl of Caverham. He is the Patriarch of the evening, and a throwback to those wonderful character actors Stanley Holloway, Michael Horden and Robert Coote, all of whom specialized in portraying addled characters to perfection. His son, Viscount Goring, is played by his actual son, Freddie Fox, who is Sir Robert’s best friend and “fixer.” His performance as Viscount Goring takes narcissism and egotism to new heights.

Susan Hampshire, a great beauty of the 1960s, is lovely as Lady Markby, a role very much like a prattling Margaret Rutherford. Nathaniel Parker, who received a Tony nomination for playing Henry VIII in Wolf Hall a few years ago here on Broadway, is stalwart and brings a quiet dignity to Sir Robert. Frances Barber as the villainous Mrs. Cheveley is over the top, which in this case is a pleasure and very reminiscent of the characters Joyce Redman and Joan Greenwood portrayed in the movie Tom Jones.

For a delightful and charming evening in the theatre of more gentler times, I strongly urge you to see An Ideal Husband soon, because it will be closing in mid-July to make way for The Importance of Being Earnest.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Reviewed in London, U.K. on June 23, 2018

‘AN IDEAL HUSBAND’: Freddie Fox & Edward Fox. Photo: Marc Brenner

‘AN IDEAL HUSBAND’: The company. Photo: Marc Brenner

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‘TRAVESTIES’: Tom Hollander. Photo: Joan Marcus

TRAVESTIES
Written by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Patrick Marber
Through June 17, 2018
American Airlines Theatre
227 West 42nd Street
(212-719-1300), www.RoundaboutTheatre.org

By Scott Harrah

Tom Stoppard’s highbrow plays are often an acquired taste, and that’s certainly the case with this well-done revival of Travesties, his 1974 comedy about an eccentric British consulate official living in Zurich, Switzerland in 1917 during World War I and how he socializes with Irish writer James Joyce, Dada poet Tristan Tzara and Communist revolutionary Lenin.

This tale of spies, revolutionaries, artists, refugees and intellectuals is not an easy show to sit through, which is why the Playbill contains a two-page guide to 1917 Zurich with bullet points about Lenin, the poet Tzara, Joyce and Englishman Henry Carr. If you go, definitely peruse the guide before the show starts to comprehend the background of 1917 Zurich, an oasis of neutrality and peace surrounded by Europe at war.

If one can get past the convoluted and confusing narrative, Travesties has a lot going for it, including exquisite performances from a gifted ensemble, clever sets and costumes by Tim Hatley and Mr. Stoppard’s witty, crisp, erudite dialogue.

Tom Hollander portrays Henry Carr, a wacky British fop who narrates the show. At times, Mr. Hollander’s flamboyant stage presence may remind one of Bravo’s Andy Cohen or Leslie Jordan (Beverly Leslie on “Will and Grace”). Henry goes back and forth in the show from an old man to his younger self, discussing his experiences with James Joyce (Peter McDonald), poet Tristan Tzara (Seth Numrich) and Lenin (Dan Butler) . The young version of Henry squabbles with James Joyce (Peter McDonald) over money for clothes for a production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

The story centers on Henry’s insights about Joyce and two other major intellectuals in Zurich circa 1917: Lenin in the days before the Russian revolution and Tristan Tzara, the Romanian radical poet who helped found the “anti-art” movement Dada in Zurich’s Cabaret Voltaire club. Tzara says he is “the natural enemy of bourgeois art and the natural ally of the political left.”

Other figures include Bennett (Patrick Kerr) as Henry’s loyal servant, a man happy to deliver highlights of the daily news with a definite opinion about current events, from turmoil in Russia to insights about the art world. Gwendolen (Scarlett Strallen) is Henry’s beautiful blonde sister who is helping Joyce research and transcribe his magnum opus Ulysses. She falls in love with Tzara because she feels she’s destined to be with a poet. Cecily (Sara Topham), a Zurich librarian, likes to study poets and writers based on alphabetical order and works with Lenin on a book about imperialism, but later has romantic designs on Henry. Nadya (Opal Alladin) is Lenin’s dour wife, and grows increasingly frustrated as revolution breaks out back in Russia.

Making sense of everything, from the dialogue to the rambling narrative, can be a chore, and Act II does not flow as easily as Act I. Fortunately Patrick Marber directs the cast with breezy precision and gets entertaining, jaunty performances from the actors. Standouts include the sprightly Seth Numrich as Tristan Tzara (he has come a long way as an actor since he was in War Horse at Lincoln Center). Mr. Numrich exudes endless charm and plays the Dada poet with farcical zeal. Two women in particular, Ms. Topham and Ms. Strallen, hold their own brilliantly against the male characters. Mr. McDonald as Joyce, Dan Butler as Lenin and Patrick Kerr as Bennett are all superb.

Travesties is not for everyone, but Stoppard fans and anyone intrigued by European history and intellectuals and political theories of the early 20th century will find plenty of cerebral fodder to savor.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 27, 2018
Reviewed at April 26, 2018 press performance.

‘TRAVESTIES’: (left to right) Patrick Kerr, Scarlett Strallen, Dan Butler, Seth Numrich, Opal Alladin, Peter McDonald, Sara Topham & Tom Hollander. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘TRAVESTIES’: (left to right) Seth Numrich & Sara Topham. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘TRAVESTIES’: Peter McDonald, Tom Hollander, Scarlett Strallen & Sara Topham. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘TRAVESTIES’: (left to right) Dan Butler, Opal Alladin & Tom Hollander. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘TRAVESTIES’: Sara Topham & Tom Hollander. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘TRAVESTIES’: Tom Hollander. Photo: Joan Marcus

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‘1984’: Olivia Wilde, Tom Sturridge & the cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

1984
By George Orwell
A new adaptation created by Robert Icke & Duncan Macmillan
Directed by Robert Icke & Duncan Macmillan
Hudson Theatre
139-141 West 44th Street
855-801-5876. http://www.revisedtruth.com

By Scott Harrah

Those who have never read George Orwell’s 1984 are advised to do so before attending this hard-to-follow stage adaptation. The show recently transferred to Broadway after several runs in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Even if you have read the book, there are plenty of disturbing scenes that pay homage to the classic novel about a dystopian future. Does it have parallels between Big Brother and the current administration in Washington? Perhaps, but even so, this is not an enjoyable or intellectually stimulating, intermission-free 101 minutes of theater.

In this age of “alternative facts” and claims of “fake news,” 1984 and its theme of reality being denied should seem like a chilling reminder of what’s happening in 2017, but the narrative as adapted by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan is simply so disjointed that it’s often puzzling to understand what’s happening, even if one is already familiar with the book’s plot.

Although the setting is 1984, we’re really watching things happen in, uh, 2050? (Don’t ask.) Winston (Tom Sturridge) is a bureaucrat rewriting history for the Ministry of Truth, in a world controlled by Big Brother and a network of telescreens that monitor people’s words and actions and the Thought Police try to eliminate “Thought crime.” After a nuclear holocaust, the world is divided into Eurasia, Eastasia and Oceania (which includes the United Kingdom and North America). The totalitarian government introduces a new language, “newspeak,” so no one even has the words to speak out against the state.

Winston commits the crime of falling in love with Julia (Olivia Wilde). A number of things happen as a result, but expect lots of shouting, creepy music, flashing lights, and some scenes with Winston and Olivia projected onto the stage like a film.

Ads for the Broadway version of 1984, PR for the show and even notices in the theater warn about graphic violence and “torture” scenes. Yes, there are some lurid sections, including a projected video close-up of a man being shot in the head and the consequential blood and gore, but by the time this happens, it all just seems so pointless. Other than an especially gripping performance by Tony Award winner Reed Birney as O’Brien, the overzealous Party leader, this 1984 adaptation, while ambitious, fails to “scare” and instead just disappoints us.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 16, 2017

‘1984’: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

‘1984’: Reed Birney, Olivia Wilde & Tom Sturridge. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

‘1984’: Tom Sturridge & Reed Birney. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

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‘KING CHARLES III’: Tim Pigott-Smith as Charles at the Coronation. Photo: Joan Marcus

KING CHARLES III
Written by Mike Bartlett
Directed by Rubert Goold
Music Box Theatre
239 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.kingcharlesiiibroadway.com

By Scott Harrah

The Queen is dead. Prince Charles is now King.

As the show opens, we see the Windsors on a dark stage, holding candles and singing an Anglican-style requiem in Latin for their beloved Queen Elizabeth II. From the very first scene, it is evident that playwright Mike Bartlett and director Rupert Goold have created a distinctly British saga that is mired in the complex machinations of “The Crown in Parliament,” for what follows is as much a story about the royals’ place in politics as it is about their glamour.

Last season’s The Audience starred Oscar winner Helen Mirren as Her Majesty, and took dramatic license to depict what was discussed during decades of the Queen and her private weekly meetings with various prime ministers. This latest British import about the Crown isn’t even based on fictionalized “facts” or history. The whole show, featuring a cast of outstanding British actors, is a nearly three-hour hypothesis of what could happen when Elizabeth dies. The show raises numerous questions about the validity and relevance of the monarchy in the 21^st century and is consistently riveting.

The British monarchy is merely a curiosity for Americans. Prince Charles and Camilla, Princes William and Harry, Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Diana are simply celebrities to us. Americans follow the merry lives of the Windsors as if they are well-dressed characters on an upscale reality TV show, but there is more to the monarchy than scurrilous gossip. For people in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, the monarchy is a controversial institution indeed that is the foundation of government, history and culture, and something citizens of these “realms” have strong opinions for and against. The head of state, though a figurehead, is not elected but instead “anointed by God himself,” and everything related to the government is named after the monarch. In addition, the monarchy costs taxpayers money, so the royals’ “role” is constantly questioned by critics. The very existence of this anachronistic tradition is challenged, in epic, tragicomic, Shakespearean detail in Mike Bartlett’s Olivier Award-winning “future history” play.

Tim Pigott-Smith as Charles and Adam James as Mr. Evans, the British prime minister, are both magnificent. It is the king and his prime minister—and their endless clashes—that make the drama so fascinating and give the show a Shakespearean feel, thanks to the two actors’ richly textured portrayals. Shortly after his mother’s funeral, Charles has his first weekly audience with the prime minister. A bill for statutory regulation of the press has passed in Parliament and the PM simply needs Charles’ signature (royal assent) to become law. The trouble is, Charles knows that regulating the media also restricts freedom of the press. The PM says it would help avoid future hacking scandals and violations of privacy (referring, of course, to the voicemail hacking crimes at the News of the World). The most ingenious aspect of the play is author Mike Bartlett’s idea of Charles being a royal with a mind of his own, rather than simply being known for cheating on Diana with Camilla (Margot Leicester).

Charles, at least in Mr. Bartlett’s mind, wants to make an actual difference as a monarch. Charles believes regulating the press would lead to government censorship of legitimate news, and open the door for corruption in Parliament that the press couldn’t accurately cover.

Charles defends the press that has made his family’s lives such hell. Because, in Britain, the monarchy only “rules” by public opinion (one nurtured by the press), so the sovereign and Fleet Street have an ongoing symbiotic relationship. It’s truly fascinating theater to watch if—and only if— one is interested in the monarchy, the ethics of journalism and democracy, or the arguments for and against the royals’ existence.

Charles is later visited by a Ghost (Sally Scott), who turns out to be his late ex-wife Diana. Like the witches in Macbeth, this paranormal visitor has a prophecy, but it’s a good one. For the husband for whom she loved and was emotionally tortured by in life, she says, “You will be the greatest king ever.” She is portrayed as a ghoul with a black veil (sorry, no Versace gown, Diana fans). When he tries to question what she means, she vanishes. She makes another appearance to son William and tells him he will also be the greatest king. Confusing at first, but without giving too much plot away, Diana’s cryptic prophecies ultimately come true.

The most trenchant scenes in King Charles III involve Mr. Pigott-Smith playing the new king dealing with nasty clashes in Parliament, and the last 15 minutes of the show in which the fate of the monarchy is finally decided. Mr. Pigott-Smith is truly heartbreaking in his final showdown with William, Harry and Kate. Every raw hole of his soul is bared, and Mr. Pigott-Smith brilliantly depicts the pain Charles feels. His final soliloquy to his children is one of the finest moments of acting you’ll see on Broadway this season, as haunting as anything from Shakespeare’s King Lear or Macbeth.

Oliver Chris is effective as William, as is Lydia Wilson as wife Kate. Both are supposed to display a conniving, Machiavellian streak, but seem to have been cast simply because they look similar to the real-life Will and Kate. Margot Leicester plays Camilla with unconditional love for Charles, Miles Richardson as James Reiss, Charles’s acerbic, sarcastic press secretary, is first-rate. Mr. Richardson’s James Reiss delivers many poisonous bon mots with aplomb.

The most unnecessary subplot involves Harry (Richard Goulding), the ginger-haired, hard-partying playboy. Mr. Goulding does a fine job as Harry, but watching him stagger drunk across the stage, talking about visiting a Burger King in Leicester Square and wishing to be a commoner, is pointless. Even more absurd is his fling with an art student, Jess (Tafline Steen), both of them parading around London streets. There are some other head-scratching moments, particularly the opening of Act II, when protesters outside Buckingham Palace wear silly masks straight out of V for Vendetta for no apparent reason

Rupert Goold directs everything at a gripping pace, which is no easy task with subject matter this epic and thorny. One wonders if the show could have been polished, with the aid of an American co-director, to trim the unnecessary subplots. To audiences in Britain or any Commonwealth nation in which the Windsors “reign,” King Charles III is heady, provocative stuff. In America, however, the complicated political narrative and convoluted back story limit its appeal. However, King Charles III is still a masterpiece. Love live the king.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 8, 2015
Reviewed at press performance on November 5, 2015

‘KING CHARLES III’: Oliver Chris as Prince William, Duke of Cambridge & Tim Pigott-Smith as the new King Charles. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: Oliver Chris as HRH William, Duke of Cambridge & Lydia Wilson as HRH Katherine, (“Kate”), Duchess of Cambridge. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: Lydia Wilson & Tim Pigott-Smith. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: Margot Leicester as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall & Tim Pigott-Smith as King Charles Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: Tafline Steen as Jess, a new girlfriend for (right) Prince Harry (Richard Goulding). Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: Tim Pigott-Smith. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KING CHARLES III’: The cast sings a requiem for Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: Joan Marcus

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THE WORLD’S TWO GREAT THEATRE CAPITALS

One lucky family of four will fly from the U.S. to London and see two shows in the West End, while two U.K. theatregoers will fly to New York City to experience two Broadway shows

The Broadway League and the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) have announced that they will be aligning to promote theatre in the world’s two greatest theatre capitals, London and New York. The Broadway League and the Society of London Theatre are working together to create a theatrical exchange between Broadway and the West End where one family of four will fly from the U.S. to London and see shows on the West End, and a couple will fly from the U.K. to New York City to experience a Broadway show.

From Broadway to London:

From October 28, 2015 – November 25, 2015, theatregoers have an opportunity to enter by signing up at http://www.BwayZone.com, the Broadway League’s new online resource for families who love Broadway – an interactive platform with videos, photos, quizzes, and other Broadway-related content to share with Broadway fans of all ages.

The Grand Prize includes: a family of four trip to London, round-trip airfare from any major U.S. city to London via United Airlines, tickets to two West End shows (four tickets per show), and a three-night Hotel stay in London’s Rosewood Hotel.

Those who join the BwayZone email list through a special sweepstakes page will be entered for a chance to win the grand prize. The sweepstakes will run from October 28th to November 25th, 2015. Official Rules available on http://www.bwayzone.com/sweepstakes. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. and D.C, age 13 and older. Void in Alaska, Hawaii and where prohibited.

Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, said, “The Broadway League is always pleased to collaborate with the Society of London Theatre. The opportunity to showcase the latest plays and musicals in both London and New York City gives theatregoers in both cities the opportunity to experience the best theatre in the world.”

From London to Broadway:

SOLT’s prize draw, which is running now until 26 November 2015, is operated through Official London Theatre, and TKTS, the Official London Theatre Ticket Booth in Leicester Square. Customers who purchase theatre tickets through Official London Theatre and TKTS can enter a prize draw in which one person will win an unforgettable Broadway theatrical experience. The winner will receive a pair of return flights courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, a 3-night hotel stay at The Carlyle, one of New York’s finest hotels, and a pair of tickets to two Broadway shows. Full terms and conditions are available at officiallondontheatre.co.uk

Further detail on the prize draw can be found at officiallondontheatre.co.uk

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT, said, “The two great theatre capitals of the world, London & New York, have a deep history of collaboration and cultural exchange – and we are delighted to announce this major campaign for theatre lovers to win a dream trip to each other’s city.”

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THE BROADWAY LEAGUE, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League’s 700-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers who present in nearly 200 markets in North America, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. The Broadway League has recently added a new category for International membership to collaborate with professionals from around the world who produce and present Broadway quality theatre. Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com, or follow The Broadway League on Twitter @TheBwayLeague or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BroadwayLeague. BROADWAY.ORG is the League’s official on-line headquarters for Broadway in NYC, on tour, and internationally. Download the free Broadway.org mobile app for iOS or Android, and the free IBDB mobile app for iOS or Android. The Broadway League annually presents the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards,® one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry, with The American Theatre Wing.

Founded in 1908, SOCIETY OF LONDON THEATRE (SOLT) is the not-for-profit organization which provides a collective voice for the theatre owners, producers and managers of all the major commercial and grant-aided theatres across London. As well as protecting the interests of all its member theatres, SOLT promotes theatregoing through activities including the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, the TKTS ticket booth, the Official London Theatre website and its printed fortnightly listings guide, Theatre Tokens and the popular annual celebration West End LIVE in association with MasterCard. It also administers the audience development initiatives Kids Week and Get Into London Theatre, and supports a number of theatrical charities including Stage One and Mousetrap Theatre Projects.

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Marking the start of the 40th Anniversary celebrations of The Olivier Awards in 2016, Society of London Theatre has announced The Oliviers In Concert. The special concert, in partnership with BBC Radio 3 and the BBC Concert Orchestra, will take place on Monday , 25 January, 2016 at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The evening will feature a host of West End stars performing a selection of songs from celebrated stage musicals. The concert will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

The BBC Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Keith Lockhart, Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra and Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.

The Olivier Awards recognize theatrical excellence in London theatre and were established in 1976.

Tickets for The Oliviers In Concert are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk and www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Further details will be announced shortly.

About The Olivier Awards, Society of London Theatre & the BBC Concert Orchestra

Established in 1976, the Olivier Awards celebrates the world-class status of London theatre and are Britain’s most prestigious stage honors. For further information visit: www.olivierawards.com

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the not-for-profit organization which provides a collective voice for the theatre owners, producers and managers of all the major commercial and grant-aided theatres across London. As well as protecting the interests of all its member theatres, SOLT promotes theatregoing through activities including the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, the TKTS ticket booth, the Official London Theatre website and its printed fortnightly listings guide, Theatre Tokens and the popular annual celebration West End LIVE in association with MasterCard. It also administers the audience development initiatives Kids Week and Get Into London Theatre, and supports a number of theatrical charities including Stage One and Mousetrap Theatre Projects.

About the BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is one of the UK’s most versatile ensembles. Since 1952 it has been the house orchestra for BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night. It gives frequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and has performed on numerous BBC soundtracks. Keith Lockhart is Principal Conductor, Barry Wordsworth is Conductor Laureate, and composer and jazz trumpeter Guy Barker is Associate Composer. The BBC Concert Orchestra give four BBC Proms in 2015, including the Proms premiere of Fiddler on the Roof (25 July), a Prom inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s breath-taking television series Life Story (30 August) and the world premiere of The Lanterne of Light by its Associate Composer Guy Barker (6 September), as well as Sherlock Holmes – A Musical Mind (16 August). The BBC Concert Orchestra is an Associate Orchestra of Southbank Centre. The Orchestra returns to Watford Colosseum for recordings, broadcasts and concerts. Involvement in key BBC Music initiatives have included ‘Ten Pieces’ for primary schoolchildren, the BBC Music Awards and the film and Children in Need CD release of ‘God Only Knows’. www.bbc.co.uk/concertorchestra

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