By Peter Morgan. Directed by Sarah Rodgers. An Arts Club Theatre production. At the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage on Thursday, February 2. Continues until February 26

Anglophiles, monarchy mega-fans, and political buffs rejoice: the Arts Club’s production of Peter Morgan’s The Audience is, for the most part, everything you could possibly want in an evening of theatre.

The Audience’s framework is clever: every week since her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II has met with the prime minister on Tuesday evenings. It is a courtesy on the part of the PM, we’re told, not an obligation. The play jumps backward and forward in time, and though we meet just eight of the 13 PMs (so far) of the Queen’s reign, these vignettes offer a sweeping glimpse of a changing Britain, as well as a fascinating portrait of the woman behind the crown.

Erin Ormond relishes her role as Margaret Thatcher, arguably the most contentious and destructive PM of the 20th century, and embodies Thatcher’s larger-than-life presence with aplomb. David Marr is excellent as Harold Wilson, the PM who secretly becomes the Queen’s favourite. Marr shows off some pretty impressive skills as his character recites the numerical value of pi as proof of his photographic memory. He also does a beautiful job with one of The Audience’s most poignant and heartbreaking scenes, when Wilson resigns amid a health crisis.

Anna Galvin is fantastic as Her Royal Majesty. It’s a huge task to embody a character of this stature and significance, but Galvin lives up to the challenge. The extent to which she humanizes Elizabeth II is admirable, with ample help from Morgan’s, which offers some nice, believable moments of resolve, courage, humility, hubris, weakness, and humour. But the physicality of her performance is also inspiring. Galvin makes subtle changes to her voice, posture, and body, perfectly capturing the Queen’s journey from wide-eyed, determined, freshly crowned young woman to mature, matter-of-fact matriarch.

Still, there’s something about the play itself that nags. Morgan’s script frequently references the Queen’s lengthy reign, with lots of ribbing about her refusal to abdicate the throne and her age, as well as the increasing criticism levied against the Royal Family and its relevance. But The Audience still feels a bit like propaganda, particularly in Canada, as this country simultaneously celebrates its 150th anniversary and contends with decolonization and indigenous rights. For all that works well in The Audience—the performances, set, costumes, and real, live Corgis(!)— the play offers up British history, the Empire, and the sovereign as both entertainment and as lofty ideals of western civility. But those are hard pills to swallow when there’s little acknowledgment of the fallout and consequences of colonialism.