Handbagged
The Tricycle Theatre, November 11, 2013
Who
ever thought Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher were such a funny
twosome? Moira Buffini apparently did, in fact she added in the wonderful act
of reflection by having two women playing the older Queen and Thatcher, and two
somewhat younger women, playing the pair when Thatcher was the Prime Minister. Handbagged goes through the beginning of
Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister all the way to her resignation, following her
relationship with The Queen while the older pair (who I presume are from the
early/mid 2000’s, since Thatcher has now passed away) retrospectively observe
and comment.
As
the elder Maggie Thatcher, Stella Gonet was slighting unnerving, only because
her resemblance to the late Prime Minister made one fear that she had risen
from the dead. I personally don’t know much about Maggie Thatcher (besides the
major negatives often referenced) to say whether or not her performance was
spot on, but she was certainly entertaining. Watching her and Marion Bailey as
Queen Elizabeth II discuss and bicker about the past caused genuinely
side-splitting laughter.
Early
into the play, two more ladies appeared, as past incarnations of Elizabeth II
and Maggie gave us the current perspective of Maggie’s time as PM. What caused
a good deal of laughter and amazement were Fenella Woolgar’s first words. If
anyone has heard recordings (or remembers when she was PM) of the Late PM
speaking, she had a very distinct voice, and Woolgar replicated it perfectly!
Along with Moira Buffini’s brilliant words, these two ladies, along with their
future representations on stage were a hilarious and simultaneously touching
insight into the relationship these women may have shared.
The
cast is not large, but of course Elizabeth II and Maggie encountered and worked
with many other people during the course of their relationship. Playing the
seventeen other characters within this play were Neet Mohan and Jeff Rawle. A
hilarious duo themselves they gave us everything from Footmen in the castle, to
Rawle as Reagan and Mohan as his wife, Nancy. As much as the Elizabeths and
Maggies were fantastic, these two added even more situational, verbal, and
physical comedy to an already fantastic show. My hat goes off to the director,
Indhu Rubasingham, for casting a young Indian man as not only a number Old
white MP, but also as Nancy Reagan, a role in which he was flawless.
It
wasn’t all laughter and hilarity, though. There was a balance between the
serious and the ridiculous as the play followed Maggie’s rise and fall as Prime
Minster. This play was both informative and insightful, as up until this point,
as an American I had very little prior knowledge of England in the 1980’s. While
this is not a completely true historical account, after all, no one besides
these two ladies know what transpired in those weekly Tuesday meetings, it is
educational and insightful.
Moira deconstructs, analyses
and reconstructs history before us in this exceptional piece of theatre at The
Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn. It was an exceptional first run, and I can only
say that I believe it deserves to be picked up again very soon and enjoys many
a revival thereon after. Completely sold out now, and within days of the end of
its run, I’m afraid it is pointless for me to encourage others to go see it.
However, if you do magically get the chance, or can get your hands on a script
– then I highly recommend it. I had an utterly enjoyable night and learned a
bit about England, Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher as well.
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