Handbagged NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (69)
See it if you want to see an enlightening play about the Queen vs. Prime Minister Thatcher that's actually fun; you love a good story with good acting
Don't see it if you don't care a bit about British history or interactions between the Queen vs. her Prime Minister
See it if you are fascinated by 1973-late 1980s British history and politics, esp. relationship between Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth/R. Reagan/GHWBush
Don't see it if you don’t understand rapidly spoken London, Scottish, Irish, North African dialect English or care about modern British history or politics Read more
See it if You want a good history lesson about the the Margaret Thatcher period in the UK, presented with clever staging and good acting.
Don't see it if You prefer fluffier stuff..musicals, or less serious content.
See it if you would like a quick history--fair for the most part--of the Thatcher years. This piece was well conceived and executed and worth seeing.
Don't see it if you don't care about politics, particularly British goings on, or is you don't care about history in general. One SHOULD know about her.
See it if You like to see the behind the scenes of British politics or are a fan of “The Crown.” If you like seeing actors play multiple roles
Don't see it if You know nothing about British politics or don’t want to the Queen portrayed positively. Don’t like actors breaking the third wall.
See it if you’re interested in Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher & her relationship with Queen Elizabeth & the Thatcher era in politics, in general.
Don't see it if modern, British history isn’t of interest. You don't like plays that break the fourth wall. Read more
See it if You are interested in recent British history, Queen Elizabeth, or Margaret Thatcher. You like British comedies (smart ones not broad ones)
Don't see it if You have a hard time with British accents. You aren’t interested in British history etc (see above). You like traditional staging. Read more
See it if interesting imaginary dialogue between Queen Elizabeth II & Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher set during their weekly meetings (in 1980s)
Don't see it if don't like history dramas, don't want each main character played by 2 different people at the same time* & other actors in multiple roles Read more
Critic Reviews (30)
“Buffini makes no attempt to mask the artificiality of the theater, and in doing so, she is free to unleash its full potential...Buffini's script teems with humor and wit, making us laugh as we learn. She's like Brecht, but fun...Rubasingham supports the script with an agile production that easily facilitates all of the required leaps of space and time...‘Handbagged’ is sympathetic to its subjects, but Buffini is clear-eyed about the larger implications of their tragic flaws."
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“The show has just the right balance of humor, drama, and intellectual discourse...By interfacing the young and older portrayals of Queen Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher, the show provides a compelling depiction of the two powerful women...’Handbagged’ is a well crafted play that features fine performances and an intriguing perspective of British government and culture...The production is timely with its perspective of differing ideologies.”
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"Whether the playwright is correct in her assessment of the Queen can never really be known, but she has done her homework and her arguments are both plausible and wittily expressed. Indhu Rubasingham's sleek, uncluttered production, from Maryland's Round House Theatre, benefits from actresses with advanced skills in the art of verbal knifing...If there is such thing as a catfight of ideas, 'Handbagged' is it, with both antagonists determined not to surrender an inch."
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"The description barely begins to scratch the surface of the mix of satire, politics, and meta-theater of Buffini's splendidly performed and well-directed play...Americans are likely to be less knowledgeable of some of the specific political issues that come up...Sometimes things threaten to spin out of control as we dance between reality and the fanciful, but director Rubasingham and the polished performances of the cast members make for a delightful brew of comedic drama."
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“In ‘Handbagged’, we get not one but four handbag-wielding forces: two named Margaret Thatcher and two named Queen Elizabeth...Buffini sets them onstage all at once, bolstering and buffeting and contradicting not only their opponent but their own alter ego in a dizzyingly funny manner...The success of this play depends, in great part, on the cast being able to deliver the intricately woven material...Much fun comes from the men in their jumble of roles.”
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"A nice lesson in later 20th century British history...The quirky thing about ‘Handbagged’ is how its dramatic structure suggests a doubles tennis match in that two actors depict the Queen...As directed at a steady pace by Indhu Rubasingham, this Round House Theatre production is staged in a formal manner that matches the generally cool tone of Buffini’s text...The acting is commendable."
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“Buffini’s witty, elegant script...Buffini is free to mix glib metatheatrical jokes with more serious bits to create a giddy tapestry of fact and supposition...The four leading actresses are each quite wonderful....And while 'Handbagged is expertly staged by Indhu Rubasingham and often entertaining, it does start to wear after intermission...I’m not entirely sure that Buffini found the structural justification for a two-act structure."
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"Although director Indhu Rubasingham's production is engrossing and entertaining, this talky and dense play may be difficult to follow for Americans who either do not know or have forgotten the details of Thatcher's 11 year career as the first woman British prime minister...However, with two actresses playing each of the women in both younger and older incarnation, it is quite remarkable how much they reflect the real life people they play."
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