THE CROWN DUAL

the Crown Dual
by Daniel Clarkson

A rip roaring silly comedy starring only two actors who play all the parts by changing hats, scarves, jackets etc.
Subtitled Happy and Glorious, the two people journey through milestones in the reign of our sovereign Elizabeth the second and her consort The Duke of Edinburgh.
The two players take on roles as actors who are to play the dozens of characters within the life of Her Majestry. Beth Buckingham, played by Rosie Holt takes on the arduous part of The Queen, her drunken sister, her mother and various others who come into her life. Stanley Diamond, played by Brendan Murphy is most of the others, including her irascible husband The Duke of Edinborough Winston Churchill and Antony Eden, two of her prime ministers, Captain Peter Townsend and Tony Armstrong Jones, and all the Royal Princes plus characters from Harry POtter.
Elizabeth became Queen after the early demise of her father George 6th. The late king was played by Murphy with an extraordinary emphasis on his stutter – as was recognised in the film of The King’s Speech, and extremely moving, but in this case it was played for laughs. I felt this was a little unkind. But it is satire.
This is an old fashioned quick change comedy show – the kind of entertainment definitely due for revival as one can guage from the constant laughter from the audience.
Well done