King Charles III is a 2014 play in blank verse by Mike Bartlett. It made its world premiere at the Almeida Theatre, London, in April 2014 and centres on the accession and reign of King Charles III, the possible regal name of the real Charles, Prince of Wales, and limiting the freedom of the press after the News International phone hacking scandal.

(Trailer for Almeida Theatre London)

 

Reviews are Out

First Preview Oct 10, 2015

Opening Night Nov 01, 2015

Music Box Theatre Broadway

 

The Story:

Written mostly in blank verse, with wry nods to Shakespeare’s history plays, King Charles III is politically thoughtful and astute as it takes dead-eyed aim at the instution of our monarchy and its would-be King.

Performed on a raised purple dais, it opens with the funeral of the Queen before proceeding to Charles III’s first meeting with his Labour Prime Minister. ‘Shall I be mother?’ he says.

In fact he has no intention of following in the footsteps of his mother. Declaring it an affront to British freedoms he refuses to sign a bill imposing restrictions on the press, and in doing so sparks a constitutional crisis. Civil unrest boils when he acts on his prerogative to dissolve parliament.

It is of course hypothetical, but Bartlett’s canny extrapolation of Charles’ morality and actions pulls sharply into focus the issue of whether we would ever want an unelected monarch overruling our democratically elected government.

Cast:

Tim Pigott-Smith – King Charles III

Oliver Chris – William

Richard Goulding – Harry

Adam James – Mr. Evans

Margot Leicester – Camilla

Miles Richardson – James Reiss

Tom Robertson – Couttsey

Sally Scott – Sarah

Tafline Steen – Jess

Lydia Wilson – Kate

Creative Team

Produced by Stuart Thompson and Sonia Friedman
Written by Mike Bartlett
Music compositions by Jocelyn Pook
Directed by Rupert Goold
Scenic Design by Tom Scutt
Costume Design by Tom Scutt
Lighting Design by Jon Clark
Sound Design by Paul Arditti
General Manager: Stuart Thompson Productions
Press Representative: O&M Co.
Advertising: SPOTCo, Inc.

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