Throughout the final week of October, English-language theatre company the Brussels Shakespeare Society (BSS) will be putting on its new play on the imagined future of the United Kingdom's modern-day monarchy, entitled 'King Charles III'.
The BSS is well-known for putting on a vast array of Shakespeare's plays, such as 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in February 2018, 'Much Ado About Nothing' in February 2020, and 'The Tempest' in March this year.
This autumn, however, the theatre company is moving more towards an imagined reality with Mike Bartlett's 'King Charles III'.
Written in blank verse and modern English, the fictional play falls somewhere between Netflix's 'The Crown' and 'House of Cards'. It premiered in London's Almeida Theatre in 2014 before moving to the West End, and quickly garnered widespread acclaim.
The story begins with the death of Queen Elizabeth II and Charles' ascension to the throne. Soon enough, the Labour Prime Minister attempts to pass a law to restrict the freedom of the press, but the new King shockingly refuses to sign the bill. What follows is political turmoil and societal chaos, with violent protests and unrest among royalists and republicans across the country.
Credit: Brussels Shakespeare Society
These divisions also extend into home life, as Bartlett intriguingly predicts Prince Harry's complex relationship with his family. "Some of the specifics I got wrong," the playwright told The Guardian in September 2022. "Prince Harry did not go on to marry a republican Londoner, as in my play, but many of the attitudes and basic psychology were there."
'A unique classic of its time'
Bartlett's work looks at both the potency and limitations of the British monarchy, and questions media freedom in a modern society. "The play is a fascinating mix of Shakespearean-style tragedy and modern commentary which hasn't dated and provides plenty of food for thought," Jonathon Sawdon, who stars as King Charles, told The Brussels Times. "I find it a unique classic of its time."
Far from being a caricature of the current Royals, Sawdon describes Bartlett's depiction of Charles as "a flawed human being who moves from insecurity to hubris over the course of five acts" and "a joy to play."
"It's the story of a man trying to leave his mark on the world, and a play that will make you laugh and think," director Johanna Kainz concluded.
Rehearsals underway. Credit: Brussels Shakespeare Society
'King Charles III' will be performed at the Petit Théâtre Mercelis in Ixelles from 24 to 28 October.
More information on tickets and timings can be found here.
