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Following his epics about modern British society, Stephen Poliakoff visited
the past for The Lost Prince. But many of the writer's familiar themes remain:
the astute observation of parents and children, intimations of the present lying
in the past, the loneliness of social isolation, and the rules and rituals of
enclosed societies.
John is a tragic character, living an isolated and short life, but he's
portrayed with immense humour by two excellent young actors, Daniel Williams and
Matthew Thomas. Indeed, his story would be overwhelmingly sad were it not for
Poliakoff's decision to make it clear that the Prince managed to find a measure
of happiness within his own small community, surrounded by love and care. But
his isolation recalls Poliakoff's other outsiders - Oswald in Shooting the Past
(BBC, 1999), Raymond in Perfect Strangers (BBC, 2001) and Colin in Close My Eyes
(d. Poliakoff, 1991). John is also a link to the other children in Poliakoff's
work, seeing the adult world through confused but fascinated eyes and often, as
here, through barriers of bannisters, windows and closing doors.
The atmosphere throughout is overwhelmingly elegiac; the occasional mood of
Perfect Strangers has here turned into a mode, one which reached a peak in
Poliakoff's later drama Gideon's Daughter (BBC, 2006). There is a yearning
nostalgia for the period, tempered by a clear-sighted vision of the coldness and
social restrictions that were imposed within the royal circle - and which have
modern resonances. But Poliakoff presents the royal family with humane sympathy,
particularly Michael Gambon's ebullient Edward and Miranda Richardson's
Alexandra. Tom Hollander's complex portrayal of the nervy, difficult George is equally notable.
A good deal of history is presented in passing, seen through John's eyes. The
increasing international tension and the subsequent outbreak of World War One
happen as an aside, impacting on John through the absence of his parents. We see
suffragettes chaining themselves up and Prime Ministers come and go as figures
in a parade beyond the walls of the garden. Most shockingly, we see the graphic
murder of the Russian Royal Family to whom John had felt so close.
The production is lavish, with exceptional period detail, and Adrian
Johnston's music score (his fourth collaboration with Poliakoff) perfectly
captures the emotional tenor of the piece. The Lost Prince is further evidence
of Poliakoff's determination to root out the secret or forgotten parts of our
history and give due weight.
Mike Sutton
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1. The butter race (1:57)
Production stills
