If one was to design a play specifically for middle-class, middle-aged Anglo audiences, The Queen’s Nanny might be the result.
Written by Melanie Tait, it concerns a familiar, well-worn topic: the machinations of the House of Windsor.
Call it The Crown effect, but as we move into an evermore casual, egalitarian age, our cultural gatekeepers seem more obsessed than ever with an aristocratic family living on the other side of the planet.
In this production, based on well-known, real-life events, Scots-born Marion Crawford is appointed as nanny to Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth – the little girl who was to become Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen’s Nanny covers the 16 years Crawford (or Crawfie, as she came to be known) was governess to the future queen: 1933 to 1949. It also spans her departure from the Royal Family and the aftermath of the book she wrote shortly afterwards, The Little Princesses.
While the book wasn’t salacious or unflattering – and even had tacit approval from the Royals – it led to Crawfie’s ostracisation from the girls she mothered and the family she sacrificed her own needs to serve.
While it’s a poignant tale, handled deftly here by director Priscilla Jackman, this territory has all been very well-covered before in numerous tabloid and broadsheet newspaper articles, the television documentary Crawfie – The Royal Nanny Who Wouldn’t Keep Mum, Wendy Holden’s 2020 historical novel The Governess and Tessa Arlen’s fictionalised 2021 book In Royal Service to the Queen, among other places.
If it’s going to be covered yet again, there has to be something new brought to the table or be uncommonly well staged (preferably both), but this production doesn’t quite meet either requirement.
It should be said, Elizabeth Blackmore turns in a credible performance as Crawfie. She’s believable and sympathetic and you do find yourself caring about the character – which is essential in a character-driven production like this.
Her Scottish accent, developed in conjunction with dialect and voice coach Jennifer White, is impeccable.
Emma Palmer as the Queen Mother isn’t quite as successful. While she does capture the essence of the Queen Mother’s plummy but fun-loving ways – her “do let’s have another drink” demeanour – the characterisation has the air of someone playing dress-ups as a frightfully posh woman. This reviewer was reminded more than once of Hyacinth Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances.
Palmer is strongest in the scenes where the Queen Mother gives full voice to her anger over Crawfie’s memoir.
When Princess Elizabeth offers that a book full of ‘harmless stories about children’ is ‘hardly going to dismantle an entire monarchical system’, she ferociously retorts: ‘You haven’t seen what I’ve seen! You don’t know how quickly things can change for people like us, and you don’t know what it is that will tip it all over!’
Matthew Backer, the remaining member of the cast of three, is a revelation. The hugely talented Backer plays an incredible seven roles in this production, including Crawfie’s husband George Buthlay and Elizabeth herself.
While actors taking on multiple roles can lead to confusion and annoyance for audiences, Backer is so talented at embodying different characters that one forgets he was, just minutes ago, playing a different role – sometimes of a different gender. The fact that he can seamlessly swap back and forth between the characters is remarkable.
Despite these positives, one question looms over this production. In fact, one word: why?
What is it that compels bright, relatively young Australian talents like Jackman and Tait to channel their energies into telling a story about a nanny serving a privileged family in the Old Dart the best part of a century ago?
Especially when the story has been covered so many times before and when there are so many interesting stories to tackle at home.
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If this play had something original to say, or some especially penetrative insights into the human condition, it may make sense.
But as it stands, Backer’s extraordinary talent aside, this is a somewhat interesting, mildly amusing, run-of-the mill period drama that can be summed up in five words: it’s all been done before.
The Queen’s Nanny by Melanie Tait
Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli NSW
Director: Priscilla Jackman
Assistant Director: Miranda Middleton
Set Designer: Michael Hankin
Costume Designer: Genevieve Graham
Lighting Designer: Morgan Moroney
Composer and Sound Designer: James Peter Brown
Dialect and Voice Coach: Jennifer White
Movement Coach: Tim Dashwood
Stage Manager: Sean Proude
Assistant Stage Manager: Madelaine Osborn
Costume Supervisor: Lily Mateljan
Production Management Secondment: Sherydan Simson
Stage Management Secondment: Chelsea McGuffin
Cast: Matthew Backer, Elizabeth Blackmore, Emma Palmer
Tickets: $25-$95
The Queen’s Nanny will be performed at the Ensemble Theatre until 12 October 2024.
