Director: Nadia Devereux
Wrtiers: Nadia Devereux, Joshua Poole and Lyon Devereux
Performers: The Ceridwen Theatre Company with Kat Marchant
Somehow (the logistics are unimportant) the audience and players on stage are at the end of a six week therapy session with Kings and Queens from various historical points in the past.
This week gracing our presence are Marie Antoinette (Helena Devereux), Henry VIII (William Harry Mitchell), Charles II (Joshua Poole), Mansa Musa I (George Eggay) and a late replacement for Tutankhamun, Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (Rachel Reshma). At the helm of this therapy is Dr Thompson, played by Dr Kat Marchant, Historian and the writer and presenter of the highly successful Youtube channel Reading the Past.
Trying to control the egos in the room is difficult for Dr Thompson, as you can imagine. All the monarchs want top billing and special treatment. Henry VIII wants to hang on to his emotional support weapon, Marie Antoinette craves more champagne and Charles II can hardly keep his libido under control. On top of all this someone has leaked the information about the sessions to the press. All this jostling and worry leads to a febrile and volatile therapy session.
Dr Thompson tries her best to control and cajole the monarchs into some therapeutic exercises, which include painting self portraits, the two truths and a lie game, as well as some trust exercises. However, most of the monarchs are unsettled by the arrival of Princess Sophia, a suffragette in her day, who shouts about women’s rights to the annoyance of most of the group, including Marie Antoinette and the bemusement of Henry VIII. Also the news of an informant hangs a long shadow over everything.
Marchant, whilst not being an actor, does well as the under siege therapist and the rest of cast from the Ceridwen Theatre company act with great gusto and good comedy timing.
Devereux is particularly comedically strong as Marie Antoinette, as is Mitchell as Henry VIII. All the players have their turn to shine and the chemistry between them is strong.
The piece feels a little long and would benefit from being sixty or seventy five minutes rather than the ninety plus minutes it currently is. The writing is often funny but not consistently so and the story heads into some well trodden paths but is entertaining never-the less.
Monarachs Anonymous is an interesting concept, with several chuckles here and there. It’s well acted and a good show to watch if you’re a history buff or are a lover of Horrible Histories.
Reviewed on 3rd May. Runs to 6th May.
