For sixty years Elizabeth II has met each of her twelve Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace. Both parties have an unspoken agreement never to repeat what is said, not even to their spouses.  The Audience imagines a series of pivotal meetings between the Downing Street incumbents and their Queen. From Churchill to Cameron, each Prime Minister uses these private conversations as a sounding board and a confessional - sometimes intimate, sometimes explosive. In turn, the Queen can't help but reveal her own self as she advises, consoles and, on occasion, teases. These private audiences chart the arc of the second Elizabethan Age, from the beginning of Elizabeth II's reign to today. Politicians come and go through the revolving door of electoral politics, while she remains constant, waiting to welcome her next Prime Minister. 

Multi award-wining theatre and film actor Kristin Scott Thomas has recently opened to great critical acclaim in the title role in Sophocles' Electra at the Old Vic. Previously she has been seen in the West End in Ian Rickson’s productions of The Seagull, Betrayal and Old Times, Jonathan Kent’s production of As You Desire Me and Michael Blakemore’s production of Three Sisters, both for the Playhouse Theatre in London. Her extensive film credits include Sous Ton Emprise, Une Femme Parfaite and Nowhere Boy as well as Only God Forgives, Bel Ami, Salmon Fishing in Yemen, Easy Virtue, The Other Boleyn Girl, Gosford Park, The Horse Whisperer, The English Patient, Mission Impossible, Angels & Insects and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Peter Morgan is an international award-winning writer for stage, screen and film. As well as receiving Oscar and BAFTA nominations for his screenplay for Stephen Frears’ The Queen starring Helen Mirren, Morgan won a host of international awards including Golden Globe, British Independent Film and Evening Standard British Film Awards.  The award-winning Frost/Nixon received critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic before being adapted into an Academy Award®-nominated film of the same name. The film garnered five Oscar nominations, including Best Screenplay. His many other film credits include the award-winning The Last King of Scotland, The Damned United and Rush.  His extensive television credits include the critically acclaimed The Deal – the first part of Morgan’s Tony Blair Trilogy (BAFTA Award for Best Drama), The Special Relationship and Longford.

Stephen Daldry most recently directed the sell-out West End production of David Hare’s Skylight at the Wyndham’s Theatre.  In 2013 he directed the world premiere of Peter Morgan’s The Audience with Helen Mirren.  Daldry started his career at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre and directed extensively in Britain’s regional theatres.  In London he was Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. He has also directed at the National Theatre, the Public Theatre in New York and transferred many productions both to Broadway and the West End. His hugely successful 1992 National Theatre production of An Inspector Calls recently toured the UK. Daldry has also directed for BBC Radio and Television. His production of Billy Elliot the Musical is currently playing in London and on tour across the US having previously played on Broadway, in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago and Toronto. His four films Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close together received 19 Academy Award® nominations and two wins.   His latest film, Trash, premiered at the Rio Film Festival earlier this month.  Daldry was Creative Executive Producer of Ceremonies for the London Olympic Games. 

The Audience received its world premiere in February 2013 at the Gielgud Theatre with Helen Mirren leading the cast.  Mirren will re-create the role on Broadway in February 2015.

The Audience is produced in the West End by Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions, Robert Fox and Andy Harries.

The Audience at the Apollo Theatre tickets on sale now!

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