The Madness of George III

Synopsis

David Haigives the performance of his life as King George III in the West End premiere of Alan Bennett's smash-hit comedy The Madness Of George III.

Originally premiering at the National Theatre in 1991, the play went on to become an international theatrical sensation and was made into an award-winning film. Rarely performed because of its huge cast, this new production took the public and critics by storm when it opened at the Theatre Royal Bath in August 2011 and now transfers to the Apollo Theatre for a strictly limited eleven week season.

In spite of a catalogue of accomplishments - he founded the Royal Academy of Arts, was a passionate advocate of science, literature and music and fathered fifteen children - George III is best remembered today for his bouts of unbridled lunacy. Subjected to the appallingly cruel medical treatment of the day and assailed by power struggles between politicians and his scheming son, George remains throughout an intensely sympathetic character - melancholy, moving, witty...and finally triumphant.

This epic production features a stellar cast alongside David Haig including Clive Francis, Beatie Edney and Madhav Sharma.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 24 January 2012

Well, it’s okay, “what what,” but Alan Bennett’s dramatic anatomy of King George’s painful business of sitting on the throne proves a tough call in the West End. The play is hard to follow and the task of matching the historical story to contemporary application elusive.

It’s still a great pleasure to sit through, though I honestly don’t think that half the people in the audience understood what was going on. This in no way detracts from the brilliance of David Haig in the title role, making of old “Farmer George” a sympathetic buffoon with a bowel condition and a canny eye on the plotting politicians.

Was it porphyria – purple urine and blocked motions – or was it sheer frustration at political shenanigans with Pitt and Fox that drove the monarch mad and monstrous like King Lear in crinkly tights and tunic?

This was the defining role, twenty years ago (and in the subsequent film), of the...

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Latest User Review

JR - 4 July 2012:

This was an excellent production of a very moving play - the last scene of Act 1 had me very shaken. Although everyone else was good and Alan Bennett's script is a joy, David Haig is the show here....

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