REVIEW: THE QUEEN'S NANNY Is An Entertaining Insight Into The Woman Who Really Raised The Late Queen Elizabeth II.

Tuesday 10th September 2024, 7:30pm, Ensemble Theatre Kirribilli

New work from Melanie Tait, THE QUEEN’S NANNY, is an amusing and enlightening tale about Marion Crawford, the Governess to the Princess that would become the UK’s longest reigning Queen. Directed by Priscilla Jackman, this is a exercise in storytelling and wonderful acting by Elizabeth Blackmore, Emma Palmer and Matthew Backer.

The premise of THE QUEEN’S NANNY is that Australian journalist “J” hoped that he’d get to write articles covering the demise of the Monarchy when he traded Adelaide for London but instead he’s been tasked with report on the Royal staffer that famously spilled the beans on her employers.  The staffer in question was the Scottish born Marion Crawford who only ever intended her time with the then Duke and Duchess of York’s household to last 6 months before she planned to return to university but ended up staying on for 16 years till Princess Elizabeth was married and Princess Margaret had grown up.  While Marion formed a strong bond with her charge, the young horse made Lilibet, her biggest adversary was the calculating and cruel functioning alcoholic, the Duchess of York, who would go on to become Queen Consort when King George VI was forced to take the throne. 

Pricilla Jackman keeps the 90minute play delightfully clean and simple with some surprises.  The costuming for Marion (Elizabeth Blackmore), Elizabeth (Emma Palmer) are kept constant throughout with simple variations to “J’s” suit to portray the of characters that Matthew Backer inhabits. Costume designer Genevieve Graham draws on the lines that the late Queen Mother favored and puts “Crawfie” in a subtle tartan skirt and jacket while a faux fur cape transforms Backer into Lilibet and rolled up sleeves allow him to be Marion’s sweetheart and eventual husband George.  Michael Hankin’s set seems simple at face value, comprising a shiny black stage and grey backdrop but quirky little features allow vertical variety and an expression of the homes that are central to the story. 

Elizabeth Blackmore captures the shifting character of Marion Crawfie, expressing a young ambitious woman seeing a position as a Governess as just a summer job to earn some money before returning to study to be a child psychologist, to a surrogate mother to the future Queen and later a old lady dealing with depression and delusion when she realizes that she was only ever seen as an employee, never forgiven for the book that she was pushed to write by her late husband and the smooth talking American Editor Bruce Gould.  Blackmore shows that Marion was intelligent and wanted more for the young Princesses than their mother intended, told to give Lilibet and Margo the basic education and just ensure that they were happy girls.

As Elizabeth, Emma Palmer creates a brilliant caricature of the late Queen Mother without making her too gaudy, ensuring that the audience sees her flaws that were so often covered up for by the media that wanted to retain access to the Palace.  Her physicality is brilliant while conveying that the exaggerated portrayal is all part of “J” reframing the narrative.  She conveys that whilst her husband “Bertie” is the one to assume the throne when Edward abdicates, she is the one orchestrating the public image. 

Matthew Backer takes on the role of reporter “J”, Duke of York “Bertie”, and Princess Elizabeth “Lilibet” and amongst others.  He is a wonderful chameleon slipping between the different characters with accent shifts and changes to his physicality that all assist in capturing the essence of his characters.  It is absolutely marvelous watching him transform from the stuttering King, to the wide eyed Princess, the smooth talking American editor and the tight lipped butler.  Backer always brings a wonderful energy to his characters and these are no exception, capturing emotion with an expressive face that can shift from severe to cheeky, optimistic to cynical.

Regardless of your views of whether Australia should remain connected to the Commonwealth and the Royal family, THE QUEEN’S NANNY is an information insight into a family that wants to be seen as above the rest but who are ultimately flawed.  At a time when countries around the world are challenging the celebration of being colonized by the British Empire in moves that sought to exploit resources around the world this work shines a spotlight on the fact that not only did the monarchy take over countries, it also took over individual lives, leaving them depleted before being abandoned.

https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/the-queens-nanny/

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