King Charles III

It was a pleasure to have once again visited Barnes Community Players.  For those who haven’t had the opportunity to see it King Charles III’ is a wonderful play by Mike Bartlett.  It is written in blank verse and, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, focuses on Charles' ascension to the throne and the unexpected events that quickly unfold. Whilst retaining the poetic nature of Shakespeare’s verse Mike Bartlett has introduced a fresh and modern style here injecting frequent moments of both humour and wit.  The play provides a very different view of both Royals and Politicians than is typically seen in their carefully choreographed television appearances. 

Huge congratulations to the creative team who carefully put together an excellent cast and ultimately delivered a fabulous play. I thought it was an excellent idea to arrange this production ‘in-the-round’ and to bring the audience closer to the action. This definitely created a more intimate atmosphere and feeling of involvement throughout.

In a play with so much intricate, and often lengthy, prose I can clearly see a weaker cast struggling to maintain the pace and energy needed to hold an audience’s attention. However, what we were treated to here was some truly first-class acting and wonderful performances.  Overall, this was a captivating play and one that simply enthralled the audience.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.