THE AUDIENCE

At first it’s quite strange to watch a play on screen at the cinema, but Helen Mirren’s brilliant performance in The Audience overcomes any doubts you might have.

The idea behind the play is a series of meetings between the Queen and the British Prime Ministers throughout her reign to date. From Churchill to Major, Thatcher to Cameron, we’re given an imagined insight into each Prime Minister’s relationship with Her Majesty.

The dry wit of Helen Mirren in the role of the Queen, along with her grace and eloquence, makes this a properly British production. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, The Audience is also a sobering look at what it would be like to live a life in public, playing a part, never revealing what you truly thought. (LG)

***1/2

BY LISA GINNANE