CANCER, a broken family and a man chasing after a dream - these topics are enough individually to daunt the bravest of authors.

Nichola McAuliffe, the courageous playwright behind Maurice’s Jubilee, clearly is not one to shy away from social taboos as she tackles all three in one fell swoop.

Unlike the typically dark, soul-destroying plays associated with such themes, McAuliffe is not out to judge or assign blame.

The playwright and Oliver Award-winning actress knows how to subvert expectations and uses a tragic and distressing situation as a vehicle for a positive message, not hesitating to use and abuse humour and light-hearted banter.

Maurice’s Jubilee, the story of a terminally-ill jeweller with just six weeks to live when the play begins, is not the set-up for a happy story.

Although the playwright is uncompromising and ruthless in her depiction of Maurice and his wife Helena, their somewhat frustrated lives and feelings of guilt and rancour towards each other, Maurice’s Jubilee could not be further from a dark, gloomy tale of stunted ambition and failed marriage.

On his 31st birthday, Maurice is placed in charge of guarding the crown jewels the day before Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.

As he arrives at Buckingham Palace to pick up the crown to transport it to Westminster, he comes face to face with the soon-to-be monarch.

Their polite chit chat soon gives way to a more serious conversation and they start opening up to each other before sharing a dance.

As they part, they promise to meet again on Maurice’s 90th birthday, the day before the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This pact will alter forever the course of young Maurice’s life and herald the commencement of his obsession with the Queen.

The encounter will taint his relationship with his wife and son who will be competing with their monarch for their father and husband’s attention and affection.

Maurice’s 90th birthday is just a few weeks away as the curtain rises.

Julian Glover, who rose to fame in Hollywood blockbusters Star Wars and Indiana Jones, was simply incredible as Maurice. He conveyed to perfection the critical and demanding father’s relationship with his son.

During the long monologue in which he recounts his encounter with the Queen, he had the audience in the palm of his hand.

I found myself actually holding my breath as he described, his voice tense with emotion and longing, his dance with Her Royal Highness.

A veteran actress, Nichola McAuliffe’s outstanding performance as Katy, Maurice’s nurse, set her out as a truly special artist able to write with razor-sharp wit, and act in equally impressive measure.

Maurice’s Jubilee is a story of redemption, a very uplifting one, extremely funny most of the time.

I dare you to find fault with this jewel of a play.