Calling all Anglophiles. Here's a humdinger of a Shakespearian-style play predicting the future of the British throne — and what could happen once Charles takes the crown. Set a fair few years down the track, Mike Bartlett's King Charles III imagines the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth's death. Prince Charles, having spent his entire life waiting in the wings, takes the throne, while Camilla Parker-Bowles becomes Queen Consort.
Bartlett brings a structure of Shakespearean proportions to the situation. In the bigger picture, King Charles battles with political chaos, civil unrest, daily news headlines and the tensions between monarchy and democracy. Closer to home, he must cope with the close, watchful eye of Princes William and Harry. And internally, like any great Shakespearean hero, he struggles with his own conscience and morality.
King Charles III, which won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Play, makes its Australian premiere at the Sydney Theatre Company, after seasons at the West End and on Broadway. The STC's production will be directed by Rupert Goold, artistic director at Almeida Theatre.