REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
PRINCESS ESSEX
A new play by Anne Odeke
Shakespeare's Globe
Southbank
London
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
PRINCESS ESSEX
A new play by Anne Odeke
Shakespeare's Globe
Southbank
London
This review was always going to be slightly biased from me; having been there practically at the concept of Princess Essex, with Anne Odeke playing every role of her self penned play, as she narrates and plays out the tale of the black Essex girl who re-invents herself as a Senegalese Princess in order to participate in a Beauty pageant in Southend. Having taken place in a Westcliff on Sea Community Hall (just down the road to Southend which is always where I live), and consisting of an audience made up mainly of friends, family, possible theatre investors/producers and basically anyone Odeke could muster to pitch this unique play to, this was a play that deserved to go places from the get go.
Fast forward a couple of years and all the hard work has come to fruition. Odeke can now claim the prize of being the first black woman to write and play the lead in a staged play at The Globe. Her success in achieving this is clearly the result of an enormous amount of hard work but also down to sheer talent.
Press night for Princess Essex was an absolute treat. With the best seat in the house: first tier, row a, and bang opposite the stage, it was nothing short of delightful to be there to witness Odeke’s stellar performance in front of the Globe's rapturous audience. This time around, however, she has the luxury of being supported on stage by a fabulous cast of actors; all of whom take on more than one role between them.
Odeke plays Joanna who is ladies maid to the kindly, yet bigoted Mrs Bugle, nicely played by Lizzie Hopley with a performance much reminiscent of pretty much anything that Sophie Thompson has played.
The Kursaal of 1908 is fighting to survive (much as it is nowadays) and the local council decide to hold an international beauty pageant to rival its competitors across the Estuary in Folkestone. For a fighting opportunity to be allowed to compete, Joanna makes up a persona to fool the judges and enters as Princess Dinubuolu. She sets out to prove her worth and show the world that a black woman from Essex can be recognised as intelligent and beautiful, by pretending to be a Senegalese Princess. This is one Essex girl with some serious sass, a pioneer who is unafraid to tackle racism face on.
There are lots of sub-plots running under the main storyline. Most are amusing and some are possibly a little tenuous but it’s safe to say there are plenty of laughs to be had. Eloise Secker looks like she has enormous fun in the role of Mayor’s spoilt daughter, Violet, who does her namesake, Violet Elizabeth from Just William, a good turn in “sqweaming until she is sick” or gets her own way with a fabulous characterisation and Yasmin Taheri compliments this well when she romantically pairs up with Violet, who is also taking part in the pageant, and agrees to be her backstage dresser thus giving her the opportunity to raid the pageant with a protest for womens’ liberation.
There’s also some great seaside banter and even a few songs included. A particular favourite being King Edward VII (played brilliantly by John Cummins) and his little ditty, “Dirty Bertie”, an hilarious insight to the filthy sexual exploits of the King, yet leads into a scene which had enough impact to visibly shock the audience.
In a journey from 1908 to the present day Princess Essex is packed full of historical facts, and fiction, with action throughout that is often hilarious, frequently shocking, but consistently entertaining. The whole company provide lots of energy and wonderful characterisations into each role they portray.
This is a clever piece of theatre and writing, yet it comes with no pretentiousness. Everything about Odeke’s performance feels raw and real, portrayed with a heart laid bare but yet full of bravado. The Essex girl has done good!
Review: Kim Tobin
Press Night Audience Reactions:
Jack Byrne: “Anne Odeke has created an incredible show with a talented cast. Although set in 1908, the show spotlights an ever-growing issue of the fate of the Kursaal.”
Vanessa Osborn: Anne Odeke's gloriously fun and lively account of Southend-on-Sea's 1908 beauty pageant is told with a versatile troupe of actors who managed to elicit the sympathies and enthusiastic vocal engagement of the audience. A little-known piece of Southend's history, in which a supposed Senegalese woman entered the contest, has been brought to life in a way that captures the essence of some of the serious issues of race, class and women's rights. Meanwhile the performance is driven by energetic comedy, music and dance.
Fast forward a couple of years and all the hard work has come to fruition. Odeke can now claim the prize of being the first black woman to write and play the lead in a staged play at The Globe. Her success in achieving this is clearly the result of an enormous amount of hard work but also down to sheer talent.
Press night for Princess Essex was an absolute treat. With the best seat in the house: first tier, row a, and bang opposite the stage, it was nothing short of delightful to be there to witness Odeke’s stellar performance in front of the Globe's rapturous audience. This time around, however, she has the luxury of being supported on stage by a fabulous cast of actors; all of whom take on more than one role between them.
Odeke plays Joanna who is ladies maid to the kindly, yet bigoted Mrs Bugle, nicely played by Lizzie Hopley with a performance much reminiscent of pretty much anything that Sophie Thompson has played.
The Kursaal of 1908 is fighting to survive (much as it is nowadays) and the local council decide to hold an international beauty pageant to rival its competitors across the Estuary in Folkestone. For a fighting opportunity to be allowed to compete, Joanna makes up a persona to fool the judges and enters as Princess Dinubuolu. She sets out to prove her worth and show the world that a black woman from Essex can be recognised as intelligent and beautiful, by pretending to be a Senegalese Princess. This is one Essex girl with some serious sass, a pioneer who is unafraid to tackle racism face on.
There are lots of sub-plots running under the main storyline. Most are amusing and some are possibly a little tenuous but it’s safe to say there are plenty of laughs to be had. Eloise Secker looks like she has enormous fun in the role of Mayor’s spoilt daughter, Violet, who does her namesake, Violet Elizabeth from Just William, a good turn in “sqweaming until she is sick” or gets her own way with a fabulous characterisation and Yasmin Taheri compliments this well when she romantically pairs up with Violet, who is also taking part in the pageant, and agrees to be her backstage dresser thus giving her the opportunity to raid the pageant with a protest for womens’ liberation.
There’s also some great seaside banter and even a few songs included. A particular favourite being King Edward VII (played brilliantly by John Cummins) and his little ditty, “Dirty Bertie”, an hilarious insight to the filthy sexual exploits of the King, yet leads into a scene which had enough impact to visibly shock the audience.
In a journey from 1908 to the present day Princess Essex is packed full of historical facts, and fiction, with action throughout that is often hilarious, frequently shocking, but consistently entertaining. The whole company provide lots of energy and wonderful characterisations into each role they portray.
This is a clever piece of theatre and writing, yet it comes with no pretentiousness. Everything about Odeke’s performance feels raw and real, portrayed with a heart laid bare but yet full of bravado. The Essex girl has done good!
Review: Kim Tobin
Press Night Audience Reactions:
Jack Byrne: “Anne Odeke has created an incredible show with a talented cast. Although set in 1908, the show spotlights an ever-growing issue of the fate of the Kursaal.”
Vanessa Osborn: Anne Odeke's gloriously fun and lively account of Southend-on-Sea's 1908 beauty pageant is told with a versatile troupe of actors who managed to elicit the sympathies and enthusiastic vocal engagement of the audience. A little-known piece of Southend's history, in which a supposed Senegalese woman entered the contest, has been brought to life in a way that captures the essence of some of the serious issues of race, class and women's rights. Meanwhile the performance is driven by energetic comedy, music and dance.
Productions photos: credit. Johan Persson
Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce the cast of Princess Essex, directed by Robin Belfield (Twelfth Night, RSC), written by and starring Anne Odeke (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Globe). The cast comprises of Matthew Ashforde as Mr Bacon / Ensemble, Nigel Barrett as Colonel Harris / Ensemble / Cover, Janai Bartlett as Eve, John Cummins as King Edward / Ensemble, Alison Halstead as Batwa / Ensemble, Lizzie Hopley as Mrs Bugle / Ensemble, Tyreke Leslie as Mayor Pepper / Counsellor Bernard / Ensemble, Sophie Mercell as Mr Southend Standard / Ensemble / Cover, Syakira Moeladi as Counsellor Geoffrey / Elise / Ensemble, Jamie-Rose Monk as Mrs Bacon / Ensemble, Anne Odeke as Princess Dinubolu, Eloise Secker as Violet / Ensemble, Kyla Semper as Eve, Simon Startin as Mayor Ingram / Ensemble, and Yasmin Taheri as Harriet / Ensemble.
Writer Anne Odeke says: “I'm aware, it's not every day you get asked to write a play for the Globe's main stage and to be in it. Though a daunting task, it's above all else, an exciting one, with the greatest privilege of all being able to share with audiences Princess Dinubolu's incredible story; a story that for over a hundred years remained hidden - a story of beauty, of belonging, and of authenticity.”
Director Robin Belfield says: “With Anne’s play we have an opportunity to shine a light on a little-known piece of British history. The story of a woman of colour, in Essex, in 1908, swimming against the tide. It’s a story we need to hear, from a voice we haven’t heard. I’m thrilled that we have such an extraordinary, brilliant, and diverse company to bring this hidden history to life for our modern ears.”
Princess Essex is designed by Hayley Grindle, with music composed by Simon Slater, with Bethan Clark as Fight Director, and Priya Patel Appleby as Resident Assistant Director. Ingrid Mackinnon is Movement & Intimacy Director, Ellen Hartley is Voice Coach, Tess Dignan is Head of Voice, and Sarah Dickenson is Dramaturg.
Princess Essex was cast by Becky Paris.
Writer Anne Odeke says: “I'm aware, it's not every day you get asked to write a play for the Globe's main stage and to be in it. Though a daunting task, it's above all else, an exciting one, with the greatest privilege of all being able to share with audiences Princess Dinubolu's incredible story; a story that for over a hundred years remained hidden - a story of beauty, of belonging, and of authenticity.”
Director Robin Belfield says: “With Anne’s play we have an opportunity to shine a light on a little-known piece of British history. The story of a woman of colour, in Essex, in 1908, swimming against the tide. It’s a story we need to hear, from a voice we haven’t heard. I’m thrilled that we have such an extraordinary, brilliant, and diverse company to bring this hidden history to life for our modern ears.”
Princess Essex is designed by Hayley Grindle, with music composed by Simon Slater, with Bethan Clark as Fight Director, and Priya Patel Appleby as Resident Assistant Director. Ingrid Mackinnon is Movement & Intimacy Director, Ellen Hartley is Voice Coach, Tess Dignan is Head of Voice, and Sarah Dickenson is Dramaturg.
Princess Essex was cast by Becky Paris.