All Hail the Queen, Helen Mirren
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to see "The Audience" on Broadway with my parents. We are all Anglophiles and massive Helen Mirren fans, so we were rather looking forward to seeing this play.
- Winston Churchill (in office 1940~1945, 1951~1955)
- Anthony Eden (in office 1955~1957)
- Harold Wilson (in office 1964~1970, 1974~1976)
- James Callaghan (in office 1976~1979)
- Margaret Thatcher (in office 1979~1990)
- John Major (in office 1990~1997)
- Gordon Brown (in office 2007~2010)
- David Cameron (2010 ~ present)
The Queen and her Prime Ministers
I thought this play was well done and gave real insight into the relationship between the Queen and her Prime Ministers. The dialogue was characteristically British in it's sharp wit and quickness, while the acting was also superb. Helen Mirren, in my opinion, did not disappoint and was phenomenal as Queen Elizabeth II. I'm not sure if any of the conversations presented are based on actual conversations between the Queen and the Prime Minister, but if they are, the Queen is one funny lady!
Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II chatting with Prime Minister Harold Wilson at Balmoral Castle in Scotland
I was particularly impressed by the play's ability to age Helen Mirren appropriately, in an attempt to illustrate the various moments of her reign. Helen Mirren is 69, however, in this play, she has to play Queen Elizabeth over a 60 year period, which is no easy feat --- especially when you don't have access to Hollywood screen magic! Yes, it's difficult to make a 69 year old look 100% like a 29 year old, but I think "The Audience" did a commendable job. By simply changing the Mirren's wigs, dresses, body shape, and make up, one could really see the Queen at the various stage of her life.
Helen Mirren as 29 year old Queen Elizabeth II meeting with the then Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill
I also enjoyed the fact that this play addressed major diplomatic crises and pivotal moments in history that arose during Queen Elizabeth's reign. "The Audience" addressed the Suez Crisis, the war in Afghanistan, Thatcherism, and much much more. I know that Queen Elizabeth has been on the thrown for approximately 63 years, but I was really blown away when I thought about just how much she's lived through. I mean, even before becoming Queen, she lived through her Uncle's abdication (Edward VIII Abdication Crisis), as well as the Second World War!
The Queen meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Eden to discuss the Suez Crisis
Finally, I thought the juxtaposition of the modern Queen and her younger self was really splendid. There was something truly endearing about watching the younger Elizabeth remind the older Elizabeth of her naive values or to watch the older Queen counsel her younger self and prepare her for her future as Queen. The concurrent appearance of both Elizabeths was a very creative and humanizing touch and something I really enjoyed.
Young Elizabeth and Old Elizabeth
All in all, I absolutely loved "The Audience." I thought it was very well written, staged, and acted. I applaud the creative team and their success in appropriately aging Helen Mirren throughout the two hour production. I left the play significantly more enlightened regarding the relationship between the British government and monarchy, and more specifically between the interactions between the Prime Minister and the Queen. As I mentioned earlier, I was not aware of these weekly audiences, so this was a revelation for me. To close, for me, Helen Mirren has become nearly synonymous with "the Queen" and she nailed this performance to a T. If you love Helen Mirren, you are a fan of British culture/politics, and/or love theater, I highly recommend this play to everyone!
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