A Right Royal Handbagging In Scarborough

Moira Buffini's Olivier Award-winning Handbagged is a witty, intelligent and sharply-observed political comedy which imagines the private conversations between Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher during the latter's eleven years as Prime Minister. Deftly directed by Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder, the play blends historical fact with hearsay, educated guesswork and theatrical invention to ask irresistible questions around what really happened behind the closed doors of Buckingham Palace when Britain's imperturbable monarch met her first female - and most formidable - Prime Minister?

Performed in the round, this production makes inspired use of the Stephen Joseph Theatre's intimate space, drawing the audience into the heart of this regal contest of wills, egos and hairstyles. As Britain changes dramatically between 1979 and 1990, so too does the relationship between two women whose backgrounds and responsibilities could scarcely have been more different. One was born to reign, the other elected to govern. What unfolds is less an historical reconstruction than a spirited battle of personalities, principles and political philosophies, constrained by polite protocol.

Buffini dispenses with conventional realism almost immediately. The fourth wall is repeatedly dismantled as the audience are reminded that what they are watching is speculation rather than documentary. Both Thatcher (Pandora Clifford and Alexandra Mathie) and the Queen (Liz Garland and Meriel Scholfield) are portrayed with remarkable verisimilitude, simultaneously as younger and older versions of themselves. All four give bravura performances, to extract the most out of the immensely accomplished script, capturing not only the distinctive voices and mannerisms of their characters but also the subtle shifts in age and perspective, without ever descending to caricature.The Queen's carefully measured diction, composed smile and understated wit are particularly well realised, while Thatcher's clipped delivery, rigid posture and unmistakable gait are recreated with impeccable comic timing.

The elders remain on stage throughout to observe, interrupt and frequently contradict their younger selves. They dispute memories, rewrite history in real time and occasionally dismiss a line with a dry aside, "I never said that." The result is a wonderfully playful theatrical trope that becomes one of the production's richest sources of humour while also reminding us that history is perhaps shaped as much by memory and perspective as by fact.

The supposedly confidential royal audiences become public theatre, despite the Queen's insistence that whatever is discussed should remain "within these walls." It is an irony Buffini exploits to great effect, inviting the audience to become complicit in conversations that history has forever kept secret.

At its heart, however, Handbagged is about more than clever theatrical devices. It presents a compelling clash of ideologies as much as personalities. Thatcher is depicted as resolute, unwavering and frequently uncompromising, her political certainty becoming both her defining strength and her greatest comic weakness. Many of the audience who found themselves laughing affectionately at her must surely have been among those that hated her at the time - because so many did. The Queen, by contrast, is portrayed as measured, quietly compassionate, immune to Thatcher’s occasional fawning, deeply sincere about the role of the Commonwealth - and increasingly troubled by the social divisions that were unfolding under this premiership.

Buffini's sympathies are scarcely mistakable, as she uses their imagined conversations to explore widening inequality, public duty and the changing character of Britain. Thatcher even whimsically questions whether the monarch has become "a socialist", while elsewhere reminding her of the privileges attached to the Crown. These exchanges provide some of the play's sharpest political satire without sacrificing its lightness of touch.

The two supporting actors, Deven Modha and Simon Darwen, deserve special praise, for their remarkable versatility and the way they move effortlessly between consorts, politicians, palace officials and international figures. Their swift transformations and metatheatrical banter broaden the political landscape while maintaining the production's brisk pace and playful energy. They have a narrative function, explaining domestic and foreign events for those who did not live through the tempestuous period and for whom the Falklands’ War, the Miners’ Strike and the Poll Tax mean little.

Among the production's most powerful moments is the gratuitous spatchcocking in of Neil Kinnock's famously prophetic "I warn you..." speech. Emerging unexpectedly from the comedy, it lands with chilling force, offering a sobering reflection on Britain's political trajectory. For a long moment the laughter subsides, replaced by a reminder that many of the divisions and anxieties explored in the play continue to resonate today.

Katie Scott's spare design and uncluttered staging allows Buffini's language and the cast's performances to remain firmly at the heart of the production, while Charly Dunford's lighting and Lee Affen's subtle sound design reinforce shifts in mood and period without distracting from the performances.

Wonderfully engaging, sharply observed and delightfully irreverent, Handbagged demonstrates how history can become compelling theatre when filtered through wit, imagination and first-rate performances. Rather than offering definitive answers, it embraces ambiguity, inviting audiences to question not only what may have happened behind palace doors but also how history itself is remembered, reshaped and retold. Funny, thoughtful and politically astute, this Stephen Joseph Theatre production proves that Buffini's award-winning comedy has lost none of its bite.

We may laugh now, but nobody was laughing at the time. The Queen was certainly not amused and Thatcher never made a joke in her life.



Handbagged can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre to 29 August, and then tours to Theatr Clwyd, where it can be seen from 15 to 26 September.Tickets for the SJT are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com