REVIEW: MONARCHS ANONYMOUS @ THE OTHER PALACE

🎭 Monarchs Anonymous

📍 The Other Palace Studio, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA

🗓 Wednesday 24th June 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

A MAJESTIC EFFORT

Last night I was back in Victoria at The Other Palace for the second night in a row, but this time I was in the wonderfully intimate studio space. What was the same was the sweltering heat outside as the London heatwave shows no sign of letting up, but joyously, the venue has excellent air conditioning. An absolute godsend, frankly!

As I headed down into the studio and took my seat, I donned the paper crown that had been left for me and was immediately approached by Pam. She warmly welcomed me to the therapy session and handed over my official name badge. Turns out I was Vlad the Impaler for the evening! Others in the audience were crowned as different historical figures, including a rather amused Julius Caesar. I’ll admit I had a brief moment of royal panic that I was going to be dragged on stage for some intense audience participation. Thankfully, it was mostly used as a fun reference point for the actors and for some light direct address. No need to abdicate your seat, folks - it’s nothing too scary at all!

The concept of the show is undeniably clever. It places history's most chaotic, powerful, and egocentric rulers into a modern group therapy session to talk through their deep-seated issues. Led by a long-suffering therapist, the plot follows these royal patients as they attempt to unpack their baggage, but the session quickly descends into absolute anarchy. To make matters worse, someone in the room leaks their private royal secrets to the press, sparking a palace-wide whodunnit to find the traitor in their midst.

My main issue with the piece is that although it is well-written for the most part, I feel it's being marketed to completely the wrong audience. The problem is that it is very juvenile in every aspect, as if it is tailored towards a much younger crowd. Honestly, it would work brilliantly as an educational show in schools or as a fun family outing. But with an 8pm start time, this is clearly not the demographic they are targeting. There wasn't a single child in the audience, which left the tone feeling a bit mismatched.

While it's an enjoyable enough night at the theatre, a therapy session for history’s worst tyrants should allow for some real depth and grit. Instead, the narrative felt a bit too much like a standard history lesson. A lot of the jokes were very childish, eliciting more groans from the crowd than genuine belly laughs. It also felt far too long at just under two hours. If this were to be reworked into a punchy, one-act piece, it wouldn’t feel like it drags quite so much in the second half.

Thankfully, the strongest element of this show - and its saving grace - is its stellar cast. They were all absolutely brilliant and ruled the stage with fantastic energy.

Kat Marchant holds the room together perfectly as the exhausted, exasperated Dr Thompson, playing the straight-faced foil to the madness beautifully. Nadia Devereux is wonderfully quirky as Pam, the over-eager assistant keeping the audience in check. The monarchs themselves are a joy to watch. Helena Devereux makes for a delightfully out-of-touch, and slightly inebriated, Queen Marie Antoinette, while William Harry Mitchell brings a hilarious, booming arrogance to King Henry VIII.

Joshua Poole is a charismatic standout as the party-loving King Charles II, matching the sharp comedic timing of George Eggay, who brings a brilliant presence to the ultra-wealthy Mansa Musa I. Finally, Harriet Sharmini Smithers adds a refreshing, sharp-witted dynamic to the group as Princess Sophia Duleep Singh. They are a genuinely majestic ensemble, and their performances ensure the evening never fully loses its crown.

It is a noble effort with an incredibly talented cast, but the childish writing means it doesn't quite reign supreme. A fun, light-hearted night out, even if it doesn't entirely decree comedy gold.

MONARCHS ANONYMOUS continues performances at The Other Palace until Sunday 28th June. CLICK HERE to check availability and book tickets before you get locked in the tower!

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Monarchs Anonymous was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Kat Marchant as Dr Thompson; Helena Devereux as Queen Marie Antoinette; Nadia Devereux as Pam; George Eggay as Mansa Musa I; William Harry Mitchell as King Henry VIII; Joshus Poole as King Charles II; Harriet Sharmini Smithers as Princess Sophia Duleep Singh

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 55 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

References to therapy, mental health, empire, and colonialism

AGE GUIDELINE:

12+

To keep up to date with all the latest theatre news and more, follow Pink Prince Theatre on social media.

Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.