Victoria: A Queen Unbound at the Watermill Theatre – review

Daisy Goodwin’s compelling in-depth portrait of the woman who reigned for almost 64 years is cleverly constructed to take its audience into the playwright’s revelatory account of her turbulent life as Queen, wife and mother.

The cast of just six includes two actors who share the role of Victoria. Jessica Rhodes is the young Queen who meets and falls in love with Prince Albert and then negotiates the joys and frustrations of their life together. And Amanda Boxer is the familiar figure, dressed in black, of the widowed Queen. I have to admit I had no idea she survived nine pregnancies, that all nine children survived into adulthood, or that her youngest child, Beatrice, became her devoted companion.

Happily, the company includes Lydia Bakelmun’s warm and reassuring Beatrice, a vital support in her mother’s life, both private and public. She is an important foil to the two key men in Victoria’s life, from whom she seeks here to be “unbound”.

Rowan Polonski is the formidable and assertive Albert, revealing how he attempted to exert maximum influence on his wife. Victoria’s oldest son and heir, Edward, later Edward VII, is difficult and argumentative, clearly frustrated by his mother’s longevity in Stephen Fewell’s performance. Dr Reid, Victoria’s doctor, is a more shadowy presence, hovering on the sidelines, but making his mark in Steve Chusak’s subtle portrayal.

Goodwin’s inspired idea of having both the older and younger Victoria onstage together works wonderfully well. Even as the young Victoria meets and falls excitedly for Prince Albert, the presence of her older self in a scene of young love pulls us up short. And Victoria does not hide her excitement at the thought of the joys of sharing the marriage bed with her chosen spouse and insists on doing so as soon as possible. The reality check of having nine pregnancies is still in the future, though we will see its full effect, too.

He, on the other hand, soon reveals he has his own agenda: to exert influence on his wife and Queen, to have full access to her papers, and to get her to sign whatever he wishes. He is clearly highly intelligent and has his finger on the pulse of developments in the arts and science in both Britain and Europe. And yes, this does lead to a mention of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

So is she “unbound” by his early death? There is no simple answer to this question, but Goodwin paints a nuanced portrait of a woman both in mourning and becoming aware of the power she has as a Queen and widow, enjoying the love and sympathy of her people and the new relationships, not necessarily sexual, on which she can now embark. Crucially perhaps, we do not get to meet manservant John Brown, with whom she was rumoured to have an affair.

Sophie Drake’s sensitive direction perfectly complements Goodwin’s writing. Alex Berry’s set is an intriguing wonder of mirrors that reveal a huge library of books, all subtly lit by Ben Jacobs. Berry’s period costumes are indeed glorious and Asaf Zohar’s sound design and musical compositions weave the action together in this highly original and exciting evening.