be intrigued, be inspired
the passion8words
The passion8words is presented by Jeff Thomson.
on air - fun 8 word theatre reviews.
online - full reviews written by Jeff.
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KING OF HEARTS
ARCHIVE REVIEW
Alistair Beaton’s new play is aptly launched in Hampstead – surely the epicentre of UK politico-literati? – with a new work that it is heavy on political satire and light on entertainment. Not that it is without laughs but I began to suspect (as we navigated Act Two) that this was more a ‘political sermon’ than a ‘scathing masterpiece.’ Alistair Beaton’s recent work has been of envious quality: Spitting Image, Feelgood and The Trial of Tony Blair have propelled him to the front of contemporary satirists but I cannot see King of Hearts adding much lustre to his CV.
To my mind the fundamental flaw with this script is it is based on fantasy and not reality and so any cutting edge is promptly blunted. A so called ‘Prince Richard’ and heir to the British throne falls in love with an ambitious Muslim girl, dutifully supervised by her brother, and chaos is predicted. Constitutional implications add to the pressure of true love because ‘the old King’ is breathing his last on a life-support machine. Add to this a rebellious younger brother ‘Prince Arthur’ (seemingly obsessed by drink and drugs) and a royal dope-on-a-soap emerges, aided and abetted by another Tony Blair look-alike although this Tony Blair is shifty, devious and self obsessed – oh, I am forgetting this is satire.
The publicity hype calls this play a romp and that sums it up – it’s not much more BUT I was optimistic Beaton would sweep me away with another brilliant Feelgood factor. This isn’t and I wasn’t.
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"passion is a genuinely new concept in radio"
