“It is not an obligation; it is a courtesy” for the Queen to meet with her Prime Minister once a week, every Tuesday evening. The parade begins in Peter Morgan's The Audience with the totally unrecognizable Dylan Baker as the weepy John Major, through the immediately identifiable Winston Churchill of Dakin Matthews, and it lingers with the Queen’s obvious favorite, Harold Wilson, as played by Richard McCabe. What is it about the hearty, openly opinionated Wilson that causes the regal Elizabeth II to give him the lion’s share of her time? He is the man who is most at ease with her, and the least awed. While at times, his decorum slips (he recognizes and corrects his error at sitting before the Queen sits), he voices the opinion we secretly hope is true, at heart: Her Majesty is really just one of us.
What more can possibly be said about Helen Mirren’s capturing our imaginations as Her Royal Highness? Hasn’t everyone seen the movie? Haven’t we all hesitated a moment at seeing a photo of Mirren and Elizabeth together, and wondering who’s who? In our hearts, we know the sovereign is probably not as witty as she is here on stage, but it’s nice to think she might be, and Mirren is a master at helping us achieve the willing suspension of disbelief necessary to feel comfortable with the fantasy.
And it helps that we get to see Elizabeth (in this performance, Sadie Sink), the little girl, who has doubts and fears about the prospect of becoming a monarch. She is guided by her no-nonsense, sturdy Scots nanny, Bobo (Tracy Sallows), who has such a great influence on the child that Elizabeth later credits her with instilling in her the thriftiness which leads her adult self to always turn off the lights when she leaves a room.
To offset the boredom that could form during a strictly talky show, several quick changes take place throughout the performance. Wig, dress, jewelry, everything is seamlessly replaced as we watch The Queen’s ladies perform their magic. As she emerges, there’s a little gasp from the audience each time. But the real transformation occurs because of Mirren herself. Her voice, her carriage, and her energy level changes so that we accept her at any age. She is, indeed, ageless.
This is a tour-de-force performance not to be missed by anyone who values seeing one of the most accomplished actors of our time at the height of her brilliance.
