Princess Essex - Globe 2024
Opened: September 13, 2024Closing: October 26, 2024
Princess Essex - Globe - West End History , Info & More
Globe Theatre
Newcastle Street London
Discover the world of Edwardian seaside beauty pageants at the Globe this summer, as Princess Essex, a new play by Anne Odeke, bursts into our iconic open-air theatre.
It’s Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1908. Princess Dinubolu of Senegal enters a beauty contest at the iconic Kursaal, Europe’s biggest entertainment complex. Meet: Princess Essex.
A fast-paced, music-filled, empowering comedy based on the incredible true story of the first woman of colour to enter a beauty pageant in the UK. Writer and performer Anne Odeke (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Globe) makes her Globe playwriting debut, celebrating unapologetic authenticity, audacity, and challenging the stereotypes that we still cling to.
Robin Belfield (Twelfth Night, RSC) makes his debut at The Globe directing this inspiring story of bravery, beauty and belonging.
'Shall I tell you a secret? Anyone can be a Queen, but a real Queen doesn’t let the crown wear her, she wears the crown.’
__Access performances__
Audio described - Sat 28 Sep 2pm
Captioned - Thu 3 Oct 7.30pm & Sat 19 Oct 7.30pm
BSL - Fri 4 Oct 7.30pm & Fri 11 Oct 7.30pm
Relaxed - Sat 5 Oct 2pm & Thu 17 Oct 7.30pm
Princess Essex - Globe - - West End Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Princess Essex - Globe
Princess Essex review – black beauty queen turns Edwardian idiocy on itself
7 / 10
There’s a vaudevillian vibe to the show, beautiful Edwardian-meets-burlesque costumes, and ensemble musical numbers lightening the serious subject matter. There are moments of sparkling comic acting: from Odeke, Eloise Secker daintily scuttling about as beauty queen Violet, John Cummins as a bratty Edward VII. Alison Halstead is captivating not only as Batwa, but even in minor ensemble roles.
Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe Review
8 / 10
Odeke’s play text masterfully blends the cheeky, traditional humour of British seaside towns with a scathing critique of the deeply racist and misogynistic society that Joanna faces. The witty dialogue and comic scenes are peppered with nods and caricatures of classic music hall traditions, yet also contains the charm of the vintage Carry-On movies, resulting in a playful spirited, energy that keeps the audience highly engaged. Yet while the humour and light-hearted moments shine, Princess Essex also delves into more serious territory, addressing the systemic racism and inequality that Joanna must navigate. Despite the fun, there are sensitive themes around derogatory language and sexism, handled with utmost care and woven into the fabric of the story without overshadowing its joyful spirit.
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Review Roundup: PRINCESS ESSEX at Shakespeare's Globe
by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 23, 2024
by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 23, 2024
See what the critics are saying about Princess Essex, directed by Robin Belfield, written by and starring Anne Odeke at Shakespeare's Globe. Read the reviews and learn more about the production.
Review: PRINCESS ESSEX, Shakespeare's Globe
by Debbie Gilpin - September 20, 2024
by Debbie Gilpin - September 20, 2024
“Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside…” Anne Odeke’s play about the first woman of colour to enter a beauty pageant in the UK is a celebration of a bit of Essex’s history that has previously flown under the radar, as well as an interrogation of the effect of empire and patriarchy on the individual. That may sound heavy, but there is a deftness of touch that ensures the production is entertaining as well as thought-provoking.
Princess Essex - Globe History
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