London
Crown Dual
By Daniel Clarkson.
Wilton’s Musical Hall, Grace Alley, London E1 8JB to 14 September 2019.
Tues-Sat 7.45 pm. Thu Sept 12 3pm. Sat Sept 14 3pm.
Runs 75 mins.
TICKETS: 020 7702 2789.
www.wiltons.org.uk
@Reviewsgate
@pursuivant
Review: William Russell 7 September.
When this gloriously silly parody of Netflix’s The Crown opened at the King’s Head earlier this year I gave it four stars. Not it has arrived in the ideal surroundings of Wilton’s Musical Hall hot from being a hit on the Edinburgh fringe and I see no reason to change my mind. Daniel Ckarkson has written a very funny carry on show and gets skilled and comic performances from Rosie Holt as Beth Buckingham, an actress who wants to play the role in The Crown having learned that Claire Foye is leaving, a role she thinks she has been destined to play, and Brendan Murphy as her useless agent Stanley, Prince Phillip, Princess Margaret and almost everyone else. Any leftover roles are played by the audience so sitting in the front row is either a joy or a hazard. It fits perfectly into this ancient East End music hall where old jokes must have been heard galore. It matters not that is anything but subtle, the audience quite literally fell about laughing starting right away when ordered to its collective feet for the royal entrance. The running gag about Philip want to get a real title like Prince – his son outranks him as Duke – and the time he went away for a chums time at sea leaving his spouse behind to go horse riding with Lord Porchester are among the highlights. Possibly the best moment is when a pair of royal corgis pass their verdict on it all and the closing joke –it involves Olivia Colman – is more than sitting through this Right Royal Mess, Carry on up the Palace, The Duke and I, call it what you will, to hear. You leave on a high. Your brain calls will not be taxed but your laughter muscles will with what I said at the time – and so did others, reviewers are just as good at recycling old material as Mr Clarkson – was happy and glorious. Maybe not long to reign over us, but certainly to take the piss. I told you it wasn’t subtle. I imagine it now does what royals do – tour.
Rosie Holt. Beth Buckingham.
Brendan Murphy:Stanley Diamond.
There was no programme so no creatives were credited which, since some may hope for royal approval later in their careers, is probably just as well.