Three Queens by Rosamund Gravelle is playing at the Baron’s Court Theatre from the 23rd of April to the 11th of May. This intriguing, thoughtful play sheds light on a much-loved and turbulent period of history.
Shedding light within this production may be true in the sense of the intellectual enlightenment we get from the material; though the actual shedding of light upon the stage is deliberately not so bright. The lighting simmers on a low level throughout due to the clever choice of using candles over theatrical lighting to set tone of the era (they are subtly electric, otherwise Cardinal Pole’s stole would have gone up flames several times!).
The basement of the Curtains Up pub in Baron’s Court is a three-sided and intimate performance space offering the perfect opportunity to make the audience feel as though we were transported to a time without electricity. With the candlelight giving a truly eerie glow to the piece, it really does feel like a chamber.
Writer, Rosamund Gravelle has found some rich material here, through which we are offered a glimpse into the inner thoughts of the three Queens: pious and fiery current Queen, Mary (of Bloody fame), also pious and obdurate previous Queen, Lady Jane Grey (who had a mere 9 days reign) and finally feisty, scheming and eventually infamous Queen, Elizabeth I.
The relationship of the three being the main thrust of the action. Their steadfast commitment to their religions and the desire to save lives and yet still send a message to the nation. It is a play set in one night, the night before Jane is due to be executed, with the bulk of the dialogue taking us though the political and moral frustrations, remonstrations, and pleadings of three women who ultimately want very different things for England.
These are punctuated by the occasional monologue, which felt a little jarring and perhaps could have had their purpose woven into the scene dialogue to suit the main style and form of the piece. That said, it’s a fascinating snapshot of one important night when the direction of England’s religious future hung in the balance; as did Lady Jane Grey’s life.
The Three Queens themselves Becky Black (Mary), Martha Crow (Jane) and Eliza Shea (Elizabeth) are excellently performed with highly effective nuance and intent that is a credit to director, Sharon Willems. Each one going on an authentic emotional journey as their desires and needs come to the fore and are inevitably challenged blocked or thwarted – which is credit to the writing too. This leads to a well-earned crescendo of high passion and tension.
Currently a relatively minimalist piece in length and production, if this show was to be developed to reach the heady heights of recent outstanding historical fiction plays such as Hamnet or Amelia!, then what you see here would probably be Act One with Act Two charting the rise of Elizabeth I, she being such a person of historical interest. It would have been fascinating to see how her relationship played out with Mary through to her own coronation. That said, Three Queens certainly draws you in and teaches you about a very tricky part of history.
Three Queens is at Baron’s Court Theatre until 11th May 2024
