Most depicitions of Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII lean towards the negative, generally mired in the kings obfuscation of duty in favour of treating his American divorcée. Yet Wallis, whilst not straying from these elements of the narrative, has a refreshing and more positive take on a love story, brilliantly showing all the joy and pain of the marriage scandal that brought an empire to its knees.
A fresh take on an overlooked historical moment
Wallis begins at the tail end of the 1920’s and at the start of the Great depression, where poor divorcée Mrs Simpson gets swept into the high life of the Prince of Wales’ court and meets the future Edward VIII for the first time, as we watch a romance slowly blossom between the pair as the relationships between Wallis and her husband Ernest, as well as between the Prince of Wales and Stanley Baldwin. Megan O’Hara’s Wallis plays the part really well, looking scarily like the real thing and getting the image of Wallis perfect that not only can you see the sinister caricature she is often depicted as, but also sympathise and feel for the emotional turmoil she undergoes. Alongside Rhys Anderson’s Edward VIII, who plays the ambitious Prince of Wales excellently, but particularly shines in the way his character shifts following the death of George V, carrying the show’s shifting tones as the marriage crisis builds.
The score of the show is also excellent. The big band undertones from Michael Brand’s score help to make the entire show very fun to listen to, with repeating leitmotif of the telephone being a fun jingle to listen to and a brilliant way to frame the passage of time. O’Hara’s solos are particularly impressive and help to highlight Wallis' frustrations and uncertainty in a life she feels little control over, whilst Simon Pavelich’s “Good Old Ernest” is a very fun listen. The show's tech also really excels at points, with uses of camera flash for the press photos and the melding of Anderson’s and the real Edward VIII’s abdication speech being a real highlight.
Making the public hate Wallis Simpson isn’t necessarily difficult, as The King’s speech and The Crown have shown. But what makes Wallis absolutely worth the watch is not only the unique take on an often overlooked British historical moment, but what is a genuinely well written and brilliant musical about love and power at the core of its history.
