QUEEN OF MY HEART
Elizabeth is preparing for her coronation. Maurice, a commando soldier, is assigned to guard the Crown Jewels at Buckingham Palace on his birthday. During this extraordinary night, the modest young soldier captures the attention of the future Queen Elizabeth II with his intelligence and charm, and falls irrevocably in love with her. Before they part, they promise to meet again in sixty years. Maurice’s life is defined by this promise. Though his loyal wife, Helena, believes the story to be nothing more than a product of her husband’s imagination, Maurice remains unwavering in his conviction that the Queen will keep her promise. And then the long-awaited anniversary arrives. The doorbell rings…
According to the author, “every good story unfolds in the third act of life,” and this touching and witty play, built on sharp, finely crafted dialogue, becomes a moving reflection on love and loyalty, on lifelong longing and the painful beauty of self-sacrifice. In this light, the line spoken in the play – “I held your heart in my hands” – takes on a special resonance.
The play received the prestigious Edinburgh Stage Award in 2012.
“An astonishing story in which human hearts are healed. Love is what we truly long for. Is it not the greatest thing we can learn in this cursed world?” says director Viktor Ryzhakov.