Backstairs Billy  by Marcelo dos Santos

Directed by Elliott Bunker

Production dates: Monday 15 to Saturday 21 June – with Saturday matinee 

Intro:

The Queen Mother Theatre is THE BEST home for this production. A play about The Queen Mother actually at The Queen Mother.

Synopsis:

1979. Clarence House, London. The Queen Mother’s receptions are in full swing and the champagne is flowing. Guiding the proceedings is William ‘Billy’ Tallon, page of the backstairs, keeper of the keys, holder of the royal corgis – and the royal secrets.

Outside the palace walls, unemployment, inflation and industrial action are bringing Britain to its knees, and the country is on the verge of changing seismically under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. These two worlds are about to collide, with dizzying consequences for everyone…

Backstairs Billy examines the fifty-year relationship between the Queen Mother and her most loyal, most outrageous servant, who joined her household at the age of fifteen. Marcelo Dos Santos’s irreverent comedy was first produced by the Michael Grandage Company at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, in 2023, directed by Grandage and starring Penelope Wilton and Luke Evans.

Marcelo Dos Santos was named Most Promising Playwright at the 2024 Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for Backstairs Billy (he was the joint winner of the award with Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini).

I cannot imagine there being a more perfect show for The QMT – the only theatre in the world to carry her title.

My vision for the staging of this is to combine the elegance of the royalty and aristocracy, with the social vibes of the times. Bringing an almost anarchic feel to the decoration of the set design, while maintaining the poise and stoicism of the people that inhabit it.

Cast: 6m / 5f

General note – with the real-life characters, I’m not looking for imitation or even look-a-likes. I’m looking for people who can capture the essence of the characters, the known mannerisms, but bring something of themselves to them. A passing resemblance wouldn’t go amiss, but I’m not specifically seeking it.

The doubling up of the characters in act one and act two is a great opportunity for actors to show great versatility in characterisation – these roles particularly are meant to serve as a glimpse of the various aspects of life outside the palace walls. Strong bold characters that require strong bold actors to play them.

William (Billy) Tallon – Age 44 / Male

The Queen Mother’s fiercely loyal servant, a consummate courtier who has spent decades mastering the delicate balance of discretion, control, and charm required to survive within the royal household. Warm, flamboyant, and deeply devoted, Billy is also a man of contradictions, both a gatekeeper and a gossip, a servant and a manipulator, a proud gay man who hides parts of himself to maintain his place in a rigid, traditional world. His complex relationship with power, identity, and loyalty lies at the heart of the play, making him both a compelling protagonist and a symbol of personal compromise within institutional grandeur.

The Queen Mother – Age 79 / Female

A regal, commanding presence, gracious, sharp-witted, and deeply entrenched in tradition, yet not without a mischievous sense of humour and keen political instinct. She relies heavily on the loyalty and discretion of those around her, particularly Billy, with whom she shares a bond built on mutual dependence and subtle manipulation. While often warm and charming, she can be imperious and out of touch, revealing both the privilege of her position and the isolation it brings. In the play, she embodies the enduring allure and quiet tyranny of monarchy, wielding soft power behind a velvet glove.

Gwydion – 20s / Male

A witty, sharp-tongued member of the Queen Mother’s household staff, serving as both comic relief and a perceptive observer of the royal inner circle. Camp and theatrical, he navigates the complex world of service with cynicism and flair, using humour to mask deeper truths about class, queerness, and survival. A symbol of someone who has learned to play the game rather than challenge it, Gwydion contrasts with more idealistic characters and brings both levity and biting insight to the drama. Welsh…very Welsh – actor must be able to do an excellent accent.

Ian – 20s/30s / Male / Black

Ian is a charismatic, confident young Black man who enters Billy’s life not as a fellow servant, but as a romantic and sexual encounter – “trade” Billy picks up outside the royal household. His presence in Clarence House unsettles the carefully controlled world Billy has built, exposing tensions between personal desire and professional discretion. Ian’s boldness, modern sensibility, and refusal to defer to aristocratic conventions bring latent issues of race, class, and sexuality to the surface, challenging the status quo and forcing Billy to confront uncomfortable truths about his own compromises and identity.

Mr Kerr – 40s/50s / Male

Kerr is a long-serving, no-nonsense member of the Queen Mother’s household staff; pragmatic, discreet, and deeply loyal to the institution he serves. A quiet traditionalist, Kerr often acts as a grounding force within the household, upholding its routines and hierarchies with understated authority. His relationship with Billy is marked by tension and quiet disapproval; while they share a long history in service, Kerr regards Billy’s flamboyance, ambition, and growing closeness to the Queen Mother with suspicion. Their dynamic reflects a broader clash between old-school discretion and Billy’s more performative brand of influence, adding a layer of internal conflict to the world behind the palace doors.

DOUBLE PART – Annabel Maud / Lady ‘Miffie’ Astlebury – 20s / Female

Annabel Maud is a vivacious sitcom actress in her late 20s, known for starring in one of the Queen Mother’s favourite television shows. Her presence at Clarence House brings a touch of contemporary celebrity to the royal setting, highlighting the Queen Mother’s affection for popular culture and the entertainment world. Annabel’s interactions offer a glimpse into the intersection of royalty and media, adding a layer of modernity and charm to the narrative.

Lady Astlebury is a glamorous and self-assured aristocrat, embodying the elegance and entitlement of Britain’s upper class. With a lifestyle characterised by champagne and cigarettes, she navigates the royal social scene with ease and confidence. Her interactions within Clarence House highlight the traditions and hierarchies of the time, offering a contrast to the more modern characters in the play. Lady Astlebury’s presence adds a layer of sophistication and satire to the narrative, reflecting the complexities of class and social dynamics in 1979 Britain.

DOUBLE PART – Mr Harrington-Bahr / Hugo McCoyd – 60s / Male

Mr. Harrington-Bahr is a formal, slightly pompous gentleman in his mid-60s, hard of hearing and unfailingly deferential to royalty. A proud member of the St Ippolytus (should be St Ippolyts) Rotary Club and a committed teetotaler like his wife, he is the embodiment of middle-class reverence for the upper echelons of society. Awkward and earnest, Mr. Harrington-Bahr provides moments of gentle comedy through his attempts to navigate the rarified atmosphere of Clarence House, offering a satirical glimpse into those who orbit the monarchy with a mix of admiration and social anxiety.

Hugo McCoyd is a sprightly, charming septuagenarian and an old friend of the Queen Mother, with a reputation for enjoying a drink at any hour. Witty, well-connected, and ever so slightly scandalous, Hugo carries with him the air of a man who once belonged to the Queen Mother’s intimate circle—his coy allusions to a possible past romance adding intrigue to his appearances. Unlike the more formal and reverent characters, Hugo brings warmth, irreverence, and a touch of nostalgia, representing a bygone era of aristocratic glamour and indulgence, where boundaries between friendship and flirtation were politely ignored.

DOUBLE PART – Mrs Harrington-Bahr / Lady Adeline – 60s / Female

Mrs. Harrington-Bahr is a brisk, self-important middle-class woman in her mid-60s, married to the equally earnest Mr. Harrington-Bahr. A teetotaler and proud member of the St Ippolytus (should be St Ippolyts) Rotary set, she is utterly dazzled by the royal world and determined to behave according to what she imagines are its standards. Fiercely proper and slightly overbearing, she speaks with the conviction of someone used to being listened to – if not always understood. Her interactions at Clarence House offer gentle satire of middle-class social climbers who revere tradition, often with a touch of misplaced grandeur.

Lady Adeline is a poised and dignified aristocrat, embodying the elegance and traditions of Britain’s upper class. An old friend to the Queen Mother, her presence at Clarence House underscores the rigid social hierarchies and expectations of the time, often highlighting the contrast between the established order and the evolving dynamics within the royal household. Lady Adeline’s interactions provide a satirical lens on the deference and formality that characterised the era’s aristocracy.

Young Billy – age 15 / Male
will cast a young-looking 17/18/19yo to avoid safeguarding/chaperone issues

Portrayed as a wide-eyed, earnest teenager from Coventry, newly arrived at Clarence House in the early 1950s. Eager to please and filled with youthful idealism, offering a poignant contrast to his older, more seasoned self. His initial interactions with the Queen Mother lay the foundation for a complex, lifelong relationship, highlighting themes of loyalty, ambition, and the personal sacrifices made in service to the crown. 

Various Palace Staff – any age / any gender

These parts are great for people looking to be involved or get on stage, but not quite ready to say lines. They add a layer of ‘life’ to the proceedings. They don’t feature lots, but without them royal life just wouldn’t be the same.

What next?

Scripts will be available for perusal towards the end of December. If you borrow one, please only keep if for a couple of days so others can also read it.

Audition pieces will be posted here once available. 

To register your interest in auditioning or to ask any questions, please email backstairsbilly@qmt.org.uk

Audition Dates

Rehearsals

Tuesday and Thursday (plus some Sundays)