The King's Speech is a Royal triumph (From Gazette Series)

The King's Speech is a Royal triumph

5:19pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Leisure By Alexandra Womack

The King’s Speech at the Theatre Royal Bath

I’M really not sure if starring in a production, the film version of which has only recently scooped no less than four Oscars, is an advantage or not.

The pressure was certainly on for Charles Edwards, who takes the title role as King George VI in David Seidler’s stage version of The King’s Speech. Although not unaccustomed to accolades having himself been nominated for the Evening Standard 2011 best actor award, Edwards faced an almost impossible challenge taking on a role which so recently had won Colin Firth undisputed worldwide acclaim.

But it was not impossible as Edwards took to the regal role admirably, showing all the same traits Firth did in the 2010 film; a reluctant King who was ill-treated by his nanny, forced to use his right hand as his left-handedness was seen as improper, made to wear leg supports and taunted for his stutter.

Edwards, for me, however, proved more endearing to the audience and more at ease with unorthodox Aussie speech thearapist Lionel Logue (Jonathan Hyde). As a fly-on-the-wall to their intimate meetings and revelationary discussions, you truly believe in their growing friendship and begin to understand that Bertie’s stammer is a mere mouthpiece for the damage caused to him as a child.

Seidler, who penned the film's screenplay after writing the unproduced play, seems to have saved more humour for this live script. At numerous times throughout Monday night’s opening performance at the Theatre Royal, the audience laughed out loud as the King-in-waiting was put through his vocal paces.

His wife, the ever-supportive Queen Elizabeth (Emma Fielding) provides an insightful window into the Queen Mother’s reluctance to marry into the Royal family. But it is her scenes with commoner Myrtle Logue (Charlotte Randle) which provide much hilarity. The differences between their characters are as expansive as Australia itself, yet together on stage it is both fascinating and funny to watch how a Royal interacts with an Aussie housewife.

But the biggest laughs come from Ian McNeice as a very droll Winston Churchill.

Legendary actor Joss Ackland reigns supreme as the very regal King George V and Daniel Betts and Lisa Baird support a stellar cast as David, the King who abdicated for the love of a woman, Wallis Simpson.

A simple set design cleverly uses a dividing screen for the entirity of the play, perhaps a reminder of the great division between Royal and common man, King and speech therapist, Queen and housewife. But the first half does move from scene to scene too quickly at times and some of the longer scenes second half come as a bit of a relief.

As the play and film were written by the same man, don’t expect many differences between the two. Many of the scenes are almost replicated but the play does give audiences a chance to get up close and personal with this intense period in our history when we saw the first ever abdication, World War Two broke out and the secrets of the Royal family were exactly that.

This short world premier tour of the production thoroughly deserved the rapturous applause it received and will no doubt continue to meet with such enthusiam when it takes to the West End.

The King’s Speech is on at the Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday, February 25. Call the box office on 01225 448844 for tickets.