Victoria a Queen Unbound portrays Queen Victoria’s last days as she re-reads her diaries and revisits her memories of her relationship with Albert. Daisy Goodwin’s play investigates the disparity between the written word and what was a possible reality. In doing so Goodwin forces the audience to consider the nature of truth, of memory, of the public and private face of the Royal family as well as the control and repression of women.
Victoria and Albert have always been celebrated as a great love match. Victoria was devastated when he died yet, Goodwin asks, was their relationship really so golden? Just six actors take us through the development of the relationship. As the lights dim on the older Queen, played with gravitas by Amanda Boxer, the spotlight falls on the young queen, Jessica Rhodes, who portrays the youthful exuberance which leads to increasing frustration as she is confined by nine pregnancies. Albert (Rowan Polonski) deftly moves from the dashing Prince, madly in love, to the serious minded and efficient Regent with ambitions to be King. He acts, so he says, on Victoria’s behalf, yet becomes more and more domineering, controlling and bullying.
As the tensions in the Victoria and Albert’s relationship develop so the tensions in the present over what will happen to Victoria’s diaries after her death increase. Bertie (Stephen Fewell), the wayward Prince, has good reason to fear their publication. Much of the humour in the play is derived from his character.
The set, with its huge slanted mirror, successfully creates a sense of the grandeur of the court and palaces. But it could also be a comment on memory and the distortion of memory. A slanted mirror gives a distorted image. Are diaries a mirror reflecting the truth or distorting it, giving a false image? The older Queen Victoria comments in the play, Just because it’s written down doesn’t mean it’s true.
Ultimately, Queen Victoria decides her diaries will be published after they have been edited by her daughter, Beatrice (Lydia Bakelman). Victoria saves Bertie and the future of the monarchy as Beatrice is instructed to take out any disparaging comments about him. As for Albert, she has the last laugh. She says, “Thanks to my diaries he will be remembered as my husband and not as the King he might have been.” So the myth of a ‘right royal love story’ is created or is it a myth?
Victoria a Queen Unbound challenges our view of history and treats the audience to a thought-provoking and entertaining evening – don’t miss it. It is at The Watermill until May 9 with discounts on some performances over Easter. Click here to book tickets
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