The Madness Of George III @ Nottingham Playhouse
Ten Second Review: While the whole cast put in great performances, Mark Gatiss shines in this amazing production of Alan Bennett’s 1991 play.
The story of King George III is a rather sad one (depending on who tells it). Becoming king very early in his life, his reign can be looked at by many measures. The farming industry reached new heights during his reign and science and technology exploded aswel. This combined with a growth in population laid the groundwork for the industrial revolution that would make Britian the world power it became over the next century. He also had a reign plagued by wars and revolutions. Some of these he won and some ended with the independence of the newly formed United states so it was a mixed bag on that metric. One thing that is agreed about the life of this particular king is that he became mentally ill in his later years and this becomes the focus of Alan Bennett’s 1991 play.
Mark Gatiss takes the lead in this new production with supporting roles played by Adrian Scarborough, Debra Gillett and Nicholas Bishop. They are all incredible but Mark Gatiss’ performance is really something to be raved about. The way the play manages to go between between history, drama and comedy is in itself a feat but the way that Gatiss manages to take all of these so easily in his stride, often in a single phrase is truly a joy to watch. At no point do you not believe this character’s pain and yet through this pain he still manages to generate a perfectly timed quip.
It also must be said that, along side the script and the acting, the production itself was beautiful. The seamless staging from room to room was in itself a performance and the costuming was also perfectly matched to the tone of the play. Period, yes but not without whimsy and details that set away from the same old get up you might expect to see.
As you watch the story unfold, you can’t help but feel it is a perfect tale for our time. There are lines that read as though they are specifically referencing the current Brexit turmoil and the general distrust and lies that the surround the government. Also, it can’t be avoided that the plotting of the narrative, beginning before his illness afflicted him and ending when his health was improving (before it ultimately worsened), seems like a perfect allegory for a Brexit Britain moving from normalcy into an antagonistic madness and the hope of a calming down once said madness has been treated. I’m sure an american audience might instead draw the comparison with their own state’s leadership and its head going from a calm, knoweldgebale and intelligent one to something more dangerous and cruel and again the hope that this may change back.
The solace that we can draw from this is that it takes place 250 years ago and yet it was a relevant enough narrative for 30 years ago as it is today. It is not coincidental that the dialogue and themes in this play should happen to mirror what we see in our politics and leadership. While this story tells it through the madness and recovery of one man, there are countless historical examples of it taking place over a whole country or its governance. It ebbs to one side and the other considers it mad, and flows back for it to be again considered mad for the half that now feels disenfranchised.
I can’t recommend this production enough. Whether you see it for the excellent acting, the beautiful staging, the comedy, the drama, the history, the allegories for our current times or just to reaffirm the belief that this too shall pass, I’m sure you’ll find something in it you enjoy.
The Madness of George III is one until November 24th at The Nottingham Playhouse