Royal Hunter is a comical one woman show both written and performed by the warm, talented and funny Ellen Chivers.
In the play, Ellen tells a (hopefully) fictitious account of her trying to pull Prince Harry. She firstly, surprisingly, manages to contact him on the social dating site, Tinder, and then even more surprisingly actually gets a reply from him inviting her to an evening of fun at a funfair. Yes I did say funfair, according to Ellen he liked the pyrotechnics (and that is not a euphemism).
She, not unsurprisingly, agreed to their date despite Prince Harry stressing to her that she would have to pay for herself. Go Dutch!
Subsequently she was invited to lunch with the Royal Family which became something of a disaster.
Harry had warned her that there were breaches of etiquette to be avoided at all costs such as not sitting on the Duke of Edinburgh’s chair, not mentioning certain subjects (including the Fire at Windsor Castle), and watching out for the Corgis. What could possibly go wrong? Yes you have guessed it, everything can, and does. Right from the moment she removes her trench coat to reveal a tiny, glittery Ginger Spice style Union Jack dress (which did not amuse her majesty but pleased me no end), to the denouement of the play concerning the cause of the 1992 Great Fire of Windsor.
Ellen Chivers is really funny and her writing is brilliant. At the start Ellen reads out a list of genuine government instructions for entertainment guidelines in case of the death of Category A listers (avoid tasteless jokes etc.). She then draws the audience into her world, by asking them who they think should be considered Cat A people. After struggling with the spelling of David Attenborough, she presented a crown and a sceptre to the proud young lady who gave the most enthusiastic replies, to wear for the rest of the show.
If you like your humour on the silly and unbelievable side, and are not offended by references to Prince Harry’s supposed pyromania this is for you.
The play is a part of the Camden Fringe and the final performance is on the 26th August at 9pm.
Catch it if you can, it is hilarious.
Reviewed by Graham Archer
