The Crown Jewels is not pretending to be subtle. After all, this is a historical comedy written by the creator of Men Behaving Badly and starring a cast of comedians; broad, slapstick humour is what the audience should expect. But despite this, Simon Nye’s first original play somehow manages to be tame, obvious and impenetrable at the same time, leaving the actors flailing as they try to mould the bland script into something worthwhile. With stand-up comic Al Murray (in his West End debut) and Mel Giedroyc leading the cast, you should, at least, hope for something funny, but the moments of humour are few and far between. Anyone expecting a right royal knees up will be sorely disappointed.
The audience is welcomed into Sean Foley’s production by the tinkling of a harpsichord and a richly adorned set. The year is 1671; the true story we’re about to be told follows King Charles II (Murray). The flirtatious monarch, with a luscious wig tumbling over his shoulders and a penchant for squeezing innuendos into every sentence, awaits his coronation. Unluckily for him, Irish army officer Colonel Thomas Blood (Aidan McArdle) is hatching a treasonous plan to steal them.
