★★★★½
Prime Minister…The Queen is waiting.
Since 2009, National Theatre Live has screened world-class filmed productions across the globe. Australian audiences can experience Dame Helen Mirren at the height of her powers when the celebrated 2013 production of The Audience makes its return to the screen.
Each week at approximately 6:30pm on a Tuesday evening, Queen Elizabeth II had a private meeting with her Prime Minister. These meetings were known as The Audience. In 2013, at the age of 87, the Queen had reigned for six decades. From Churchill to Thatcher to Cameron, Her Majesty witnessed the tenure of twelve Prime Ministers: her own “dirty dozen.”
The Audience by Peter Morgan imagines key vignettes from these private weekly meetings. Jumping back and forth through time, we witness some of the defining moments of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. It is a gripping watch.
Together with director Stephen Daldry, Morgan unlocks a work that is almost symphonic. The play rises and falls with a musicality, its momentum building steadily as the cast showcases an extraordinary depth of control over their craft and instrument.
At the beginning of each major scene, the Equerry, Geoffrey Beevers, breaks the fourth wall to describe the furniture and provide key historical context. He lends an almost reverential quality to each chair and object, encouraging the audience to view the set and props as artefacts imbued with history and meaning.
Helen Mirren is no stranger to the Crown. A celebrated actor, she is among the select few recipients of the Triple Crown of Acting, having won an Oscar, Tony, and Emmy. Her performance in The Audience earned her both Tony and Olivier Awards, while her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in Peter Morgan’s 2006 film The Queen secured her a Best Actress Academy Award.
Mirren is electrifying, shedding decades like people shed tears. Audible claps can be heard as her wig transforms from grey to brown, with the majority of costume changes happening on stage before our eyes.
To anyone worried that the camera could lose the intimacy of the theatrical setting, fear not. Sometimes it feels as if we are onstage with the performers. A tense jaw, a sigh, and a subtle gesture are all captured in picture-perfect quality by Robin Lough’s direction for the screen.
Every Prime Minister has a scene, with some holding court more than once. A particularly noteworthy omission is that of Tony Blair, who is mentioned but never seen. In the Broadway version of the production, a new scene with Blair was added due to public demand.
Standout performances come from Richard McCabe, whose Harold Wilson exudes warmth and charisma, and Nell Williams, who brings a touching vulnerability to a young Elizabeth.
While some familiarity with British politics may help uncover the play’s subtler nuances, a quick Google search is more than enough to identify each Prime Minister for those less familiar.
Before the hit series The Crown, there was The Audience. Here, we are treated to two queens: the Queen of England and the Queen of acting, Helen Mirren.
Theatre is often like a fleeting breeze, and this filmed production offers a rare opportunity to catch lightning in a bottle. If it is screening near you, seize the opportunity. Productions this good rarely come around twice.
The Audience runs in select cinemas nationally from Thursday 4 June 2026.
Tickets and cinemas info: https://sharmillfilms.com.au/ta/e/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/sharmillfilms/
Images by Johan Persson. Watch the trailer below:
Film details:
Title: The Audience
Director: Stephen Daldry
Cast: Helen Mirren, Richard McCabe, Paul Ritter, Haydn Gwynne, Nell Williams
Country of Origin: UK
Duration: 148 mins
Rating: M
