Link: https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/15/barnes-people-billy-me-starring-jon-culshaw Also available as a set with the other episodes in the Barnes’ People series: https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/14/barnes-people-complete-series
Available until: 31st July 2021
If any actor’s going to know what it’s like to serve a monarch, it’s probably Adrian Scarborough.
In 1994, he served King George III when he played Fortnum in the film The Madness of King George. In 1999, he appeared in a series entitled Let Them Eat Cake. In 2003, he was in the vicinity when Oliver Cromwell overthrew Charles I in To Kill a King. In 2007, he appeared in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, when Elizabeth I was on the throne. He played a BBC Radio Announcer in 2010 in The King’s Speech, a film about George VI. He played King Lear’s fool in 2014, and in 2018, he returned to serve George III in the play on which the film was based, The Madness of George III, this time playing one of the King’s doctors.
So who better to spill the secrets about working for our current Queen, Elizabeth II?
In this brilliant monologue by Peter Barnes, Adrian plays Leslie Bray, First Doorkeeper, and following a very intriguing opening line, he tells us all about life at the palace, his duties, and his contact with the Queen.
Peter Barnes’ series of monologues was written at about the same time as Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads. The fourteen monologues were brought together under the title of Barnes’ People and they were broadcast on Radio 3, each read by a prominent actor. But there were actually fifteen monologues. The fifteenth, A True Born Englishman, was cut from the series after concerns were expressed by the Palace. Or perhaps ‘concerns’ isn’t the right word. They told Radio 3 they couldn’t broadcast it and that was that.
At least, that was the story most people knew, but the Guardian, who investigated the mystery (which is what journalists used to do before they started following celebrities around), came to a different conclusion which actually makes a lot of sense.
At any rate, the show is available for purchase on the Original Theatre Online website and I haven’t heard of anyone being carted off to the Tower so either the Palace really isn’t bothered by it at all or they have far more important things on their minds.
I don’t know how much truth there is in Leslie’s revelations but it doesn’t really matter. This is a great monologue. Some people won’t like Leslie’s deference and respect towards his employers and they definitely won’t like his politics but that doesn’t change what a great monologue is. It’s full of great stories, little moments of humour and a succession of fascinating insights which could easily be true.
Adrian Scarborough performs the monologue brilliantly. He speaks every word beautifully and clearly and although his character clearly takes his position extremely seriously, Adrian says the lines in a way that lets the humour come through. He tells the stories in a way that makes you want to hear more… and more. He delivers each one with conviction and with a strong suggestion that the memories really are playing through his mind as he speaks. He’s not just saying words he’s learned, he’s seeing his character’s memories in his mind’s eye.
Director Philip Franks has Adrian sitting in a chair for most of the monologue, as is only natural he’s talking to us. But there’s an intriguing moment at the end when he stands by the chair. I’m not sure if it’s written into the script or not but the fact it is part of the monologue, whether it was put in by the writer or the director, immediately gets your attention and makes you stop and wonder exactly what is going on in Leslie’s head.
Really interesting and impressively-delivered. I haven’t
watched the other three monologues yet so I don’t know what they’re about but
after this one, I’m really looking forward to them.
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