Two Old Queens is a highly entertaining and extremely stylish mainstream show for two actors and piano accompanist from one of Australia’s newest production houses, Mirage Makers.
Two Old Queens is a musical play that celebrates the friendship between Her Majesty The Queen Mother and theatre legend, Sir Noël Coward. Co-devised by John Senczuk and John Michael Swinbank, the work has its origins in Swinbank’s cabaret career and his fascination with the work of the famous playwright and composer.
Set in the foyer of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1998 on the real occasion of the Queen Mother’s unveiling of a life-sized bronze statue of Coward (25 years after his death), the Queen Mother inadvertently causes the supernatural comeback of his ‘blithe’ but cranky spirit.
Over a martini or two … or three, they resume their friendship and relive a half-century of magical memories and musical moments, as well as revealing jealously guarded secrets and long-held grudges.
Two Old Queens is much more than just a biographical work. As it unfolds, it becomes a comic and poignant meditation on the very nature of friendship and how old friends stick together even when they’re falling apart. They know that telling the truth is vital to any relationship, but when it should be told or not is another thing!
Two Old Queens was first produced by Mirage Makers at The Blue Room Studio, Perth to a sell-out season in October 2007, winning The Blue Room Best Box Office Award 2008. In 2008 the show transferred to the Subiaco Arts Centre in 2008, and toured to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
The original cast was John Michael Swinbank as Sir Noël and Edgar Metcalfe as HM The Queen Mother. Metcalfe’s performance was awarded a 2008 Horatio (Adelaide) for Best Character Study, and nominated for a Best Actor Award in the 2008 WA Equity Guild Awards. The Director of Riverside Theatres, Robert Love exclaimed “Two Old Queens is a touring show made in heaven!”
Awards:
- Mirage Makers, Best Box Office Award, The Blue Room Perth 2008
- Edgar Metcalfe, Horatio Award for Best Character Study Award, The Sunday Mail Adelaide 2007
- Edgar Metcalfe, nomination for Best Actor in WA Equity Guild Awards, Perth 2008
Show specifics:
For a PDF containing technical information on Two Old Queens, please click here.
Image gallery (click to enlarge):
Photography by Nigel Etherington