Jeremy Sams’ production of Roman Holiday opens in Bath the same week that Prince Harry’s phone hacking trial is being heard in the high court, and some material could come straight from a witness statement. “She’s fair game,” photographer Irving tells his journalist partner Joe: “It’s always open season on princesses”.
It’s one of the lines that has travelled best from the screen to the stage – and across the 70 years since Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck established their memorable chemistry in the original film. Paul Blake’s version – first seen in 2001, reworked in 2017 and receiving its UK premiere here – fashions the script into a jukebox musical with Cole Porter songs, the best known of which are aggressively telegraphed in the overture to reassure audiences they’ll recognise them.
