King charles iii broadway wikipedia

play by Mike Bartlett

King Charles III is a play in blank verse by Mike Bartlett that premiered at the Almeida Theatre in London. The play is a future history account of the accession and reign of King Charles III of the Merged Kingdom (who was then still Prince of Wales), and the limiting of the freedom of the press after the News International phone hacking scandal.

A minute television adaptation was disseminate on BBC Two on 10 May

Production history

Its premiere movie was at the Almeida Theatre from 10 April to 31 May , with previews from 3 April, directed by Rupert Goold.^[1] Charles was played by Tim Pigott-Smith,^[2] whilst the cast also included Margot Leicester as Camilla,^[3]Oliver Chris as Prince William, Lydia Wilson as Catherine, Richard Goulding as Prince Harry,^[4]Adam James as the Prime Minister and Nicholas Rowe as the Public figure of the Opposition.^[5]

The production transferred to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre in September for an initial three-month run,^[6] later announcing an extension to the finish of January ^[7] When Pigott-Smith sustained a broken collar bone, he was replaced for five weeks by Miles Richardson.^[8]

Following its West End run, the engage began a UK tour at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre with Robert Powell in the role of Charles in September , ending with a month race by the Sydney Theatre Business (at the Roslyn Packer Theatre) making its Australian premiere in March ^[9]

The play transferred to Broadway for a limited engagement with the original London cast, running at the Music Box Theatre from 1 November until 31 January , following previews from 10 October ^[10][11]

A usual performance ran for two hours and forty-five minutes, including one interval.^[1]

A newly mounted production of the play directed by David Muse with Robert Joy as Charles began 7 February at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington D.C.^[12]

A production of the play by the UCL Drama Society, directed by Josh Moore, with services provided by UCL Stage Crew, was performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre on 17–19 November , shortly after real-life Charles' accession to the throne.^[13]

Cast

Role	Almeida Theatre	West End	Broadway	UK Tour	Sydney	Television Production
Charles	Tim Pigott-Smith			Robert Powell		Tim Pigott-Smith
William	Oliver Chris			Ben Righton		Oliver Chris
Harry	Richard Goulding			Richard Glaves		Richard Goulding
Kate	Lydia Wilson			Jennifer Bryden		Charlotte Riley
Camilla	Margot Leicester			Penelope Beaumont	Carolyn Pickles	Margot Leicester
Jess Edwards	Tafline Steen			Lucy Phelps		Tamara Lawrance
James Reiss	Nick Sampson	Miles Richardson		Dominic Jephcott		Tim McMullan
Prime Minister Tristram Evans	Adam James			Tim Treloar		Adam James
Mark Stevens (play)/Mrs Stevens (film), Leader of the Opposition	Nicholas Rowe		Anthony Calf	Giles Taylor		Priyanga Burford
Sarah / Ghost / TV Producer	Katie Brayben		Sally Scott	Beatrice Walker		Katie Brayben
Coottsey / Speaker of the House of Commons / Sir Michael	Tom Robertson			Paul Westwood		Max Bennett / Ian Redford / Rupert Vansittart
Spencer / Nick / Sir Gordon	Nyasha Hatendi			Parth Thakerar	Geoffrey Lumb	Parth Thakerar / Tom Mothersdale / Nyasha Hatendi
Protesters / Attendants / Understudies	Edward Elgood, Joe Eyre, Elinor Lawless, Peter Collis, Emily Swain		Lucas Hall, Rachel Spencer Hewitt, Peter Bradbury, Gordana Rashovich, Harry Smith	Emily Swain, Emily-Celine Thompson, Ryan Whittle, Karl Wilson

Plot

Charles and his family gather monitoring the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Charles, as the novel king, then holds his first weekly audience with the Prime Minister. They discuss a modern Bill for statutory regulation of the press, which has passed the House of Commons and the House of Lords and awaits only Charles' royal assent to become law.

Charles is concerned that the law restricts freedom of the press too much, and would allow governments to censor the news and prevent legitimate uncovering of maltreatment of power by the government. He asks the Prime Minister for alterations to the bill, but the Prime Minister refuses.

Charles was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VIand became heir apparent when his mother, Queen Elizabeth IIacceded to the throne in He was created Prince of Wales in and his investiture was held in Inhe married Lady Diana Spencer. They had two sons, William and Harry.

The two men spar, as the Leader of the Opposition arrives for a weekly meeting with Charles, an innovation the fresh king has introduced. The Chief of the Opposition expresses his own doubts on the bill, but he sees little alternative but for Charles to autograph.

In parallel, Prince Harry has begun a relationship with Jess Edwards, a republican. Both Charles and Prince William have seen the ghost of Princess Diana, promising each man that he will become "the greatest king of all".

One of his first actions is to oppose to give royal assent to the press regulation bill. The Prime Minister holds a crisis meeting with the Leader of the Opposition and then goes alone to try to convince Charles to sign, but Charles continues to refuse.

The Prime Minister then threatens to go by a new law bypassing the royal assent and then move through the press law, but Charles then dissolves Parliament before the Prime Minister can bring either of these plans into influence.

Protests begin across the state and especially in London.

Charles increases the army guard at Buckingham Palace, offers his protection to Jess (whom the push have made the centre of a sex scandal), and agrees to Harry's wish to grow a commoner. The Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William's wife Kate) proposes a solution: William will serve as a mediator between Parliament and his father.

William announces this plan at a press conference without his father's knowledge or consent. Seeing this as a betrayal, Charles reacts angrily.

It is directed by Rupert Goolddirector of the authentic play, and stars most of the play's original cast including Tim Pigott-Smithwho died before the film was broadcast, as Charles. Written in blank verse and set in the future, the film focuses on the reign of the real life Charles III who at the hour of the film's release was Prince of Wales and the surrounding political drama as a result of his accession to the throne. Charles and his family gather following the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Charles, as the novel kingthen holds his first weekly audience with Prime Minister Tristan Evans.

Ultimately, Charles is forced to abdicate in favour of William, who plans to signal the press bill and return to original the status quo between king and Parliament. The play concludes with Harry's rejection of Jess, and William and Kate's coronation as king and queen consort.

Critical reception

The London and Broadway productions both received positive reviews.^[14][15]The Telegraph's review said "attendance is compulsory", describing it as Barlett's best work to date.^[14]

The Globe and Mail called the engage "dreary" despite its success in London and on Broadway.

It is explained to be a Shakespearean-like play that has already passed its "best before" go out.

SYNOPSIS: The Queen is dead: after a lifetime of waiting, the prince ascends the throne. A future of power. But how to rule? This controversial new play explores the people beneath the crowns, the.

The author talks about how some aspects in this futuristic engage came true, like how Prince Harry ends up happy with his new spouse Meghan Markle, who like Jess is a woman of colour, or how the real King Charles III is known to express robust opinions on government issues.^[16]

Awards and nominations

Original London production

Broadway production

Radio adaptation

The stage play was adapted into a radio play for BBC Radio 3's Drama on 3 and broadcast 12 July , starring the cast of the original West End production.^[20] It was re-broadcast on 6 November , again on BBC Radio 3.

TV film adaptation

Main article: King Charles III (film)

The perform was adapted into a minute TV film for BBC Two and Masterpiece on PBS.^[21] The adaptation first aired on BBC Two on 10 May

Before the film had even aired, politicians and biographers already did not like the idea of a non-fiction futuristic world without the Queen.

After viewing the play as a whole, it was seen as more of a political thriller and tragedy. The TV film is an hour shorter than the participate time due to a not many parts being removed from the original script.^[22]

See also

References

External links