Monarchs Anonymous – The Other Palace Theatre

Last Updated on June 25, 2026

Immersive Royal Comedy As Therapy Session

3.5 out of 5.0 stars

Imagine being a fly on the wall whilst some of the most notorious kings and queens from history meet for group therapy; Monarchs Anonymous returns for a second run at The Other Palace after a successful stint at the Brighton Fringe.

This time-travelling regal riot started as a lockdown project on YouTube and has grown to a fully-fledged show produced by Wales’s Ceridwen Theatre Company.  Original clips (still online) featured William the Conqueror and Phillip II on Zoom calls. It’s an enjoyable concept, but at times it feels rambling. 

Audience members are treated as fellow royal clients; on arrival, you receive a paper crown and get congratulated on “your recent work” – apparently, we’ve been attending for six weeks – quite why gets explained later. Audience participation includes cameo roles (I was sat next to “Julius Caesar”!) and the therapy session opens with everyone chanting a mantra on the back of the programme: “Divine right doesn’t mean I’m always right”.

Try telling that to Henry VIII, everyone’s favourite serial monogamist, played by William Harry Mitchell (TV credit, The Big Audition) with Trumpian bombast. Henry seems the most pragmatic of the group, wanting to gloss over his beheading habit; he’s not sorry but realises it’s terrible PR. His hobby horse jousting and tussles with “Charles II” were the funniest elements.

Time travel etiquette means clients from later times cannot blab what they know about the future, although this rule is often broken. Nor is it a problem with Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire and history’s richest man, because much to his chagrin, nobody appears to have heard of him. George Eggay (Christmas Carol, Reading Rep) portrays him as endearing rather than Elon Musk arrogant. Given it’s a comedy, characters tend to be lovable, not loathsome.

Giggly Marie-Antoinette, with over-egged ‘Allo ‘Allo French accent, is plastered on champagne – mais oui. Tonight, she was Helena Devereux, although the role is shared with her sister and the show’s co-writer, Nadia Devereux. The audience is her “sheep” whom, at times, she imperiously orders to “Baaaaa!” – naturally, everyone follows.

Charles II, fingering his wig and brought flouncing to life by the show’s other co-writer Joshua Poole (TV credit, Call The Midwife) brings the funniest physical comedy moments and one-liners: “No hiding in trees today”.

As the interval of this 90-minute show approaches, the group discover there’s a traitor in their midst, and these confidential sessions were not as anonymous as they thought. As the Horrible Histories mood might begin to pall, it’s a master stroke for the plot to prompt re-dressing the cast in appropriate modern-day outfits (costumes by Kathy Brazier). An England football top, an “I Heart Paris” tourist t-shirt – you can guess who wore what.

More inventive is the transition of Princess of India Sophia Duleep Singh, played by Harriet Sharmini Smithers (Theatre credit: A Well-Bread Woman). Previously a pampered goddaughter of Queen Victoria, now turned suffragette, Sophia ditches her white Edwardian dress and Votes For Women sash, returning in full-on Citizen Smith mode, complete with camouflage jacket and Che Guevara beret (albeit baby pink). Politically motivated, Sophia comes across as the most authoritative and intelligent of the group, possibly because she’s the most historically informed.

Although the costume change does bring an energy refresh to part two, the plot twist is predictably panto. Monarchs Anonymous is a frothy show requiring total suspension of belief; the premise is daft as a brush, hence the only escape is to get sillier still. 

I wasn’t sure I laughed out loud quite often enough at Monarchs Anonymous, and at times it felt a bit “shouty” and chaotic. The runtime was longer than anticipated, presumably due to improvisations. 

Nevertheless, Monarchs Anonymous is a fun show that will appeal to all ages – I took my teenage son, who was highly amused throughout. The ensemble cast has a good rapport that reminded me of the Goes Wrong series. It would be nice to see them together in something else.

If you like things like Horrible Histories and BBC’s Ghosts, you should enjoy Monarchs Anonymous; it makes little demand of its audience – crown-wearing and low-level participation aside – and won’t offend anyone. It’s a pity it’s only on for four more days, for it’s a fun evening out that’s easy to play along with.

Monarchs Anonymous

The Other Palace Theatre
12 Palace Street
London
SW1E 5JA

Until 28 June

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