Mercy (Marcia Johnson) shocks Faith (Allison Edwards-Crewe) and Talbot (Geoffrey Pounsett) Photo: Barbara Zimonick
Serving Elizabeth
By Marcia Johnson
The year is 1952. Mercy, a Nyeri, Kenya restaurant owner is vehemently anti-monarchy. Her husband is seriously ill and her daughter has been accepted into university. When she is given the opportunity to cook for the visiting Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, can she still stick to her principles? Or can she use this opportunity to create some sort of redress.
The year is also 2015. Tia, a Kenyan-Canadian film student is living in London and interning on a new series about Queen Elizabeth II. When she reads the episode about the Kenya visit, she begins to question her history as a fan of princesses. Can she still continue to work on a production that ignores the negative effects of colonialism? Can she use this opportunity to make her feelings known?
Production Details
All characters have counterparts in 1952 and 2015.
2 Male
Talbot – English, White, mid-40s- 50s. Elizabeth’s envoy // Maurice, a successful screenwriter.
Montague – Kenyan, 20s, Talbot’s assistant and driver // Steve, English, an actor
3 Female
Faith – Kenyan, 19. Wants to go to university // Tia – 21, a Kenyan-Canadian film student living in London.
Mercy – Kenyan, mid-40s- 50s. Restaurant owner; anti-Monarchist // Patricia – English, a casting director
Robin – English, 30s, a production manager // Princess Elizabeth, 25
2 hours, 20 minutes (including intermission)
By Marcia Johnson
Purchase Play Script
Production History
Serving Elizabeth was previously titled Heavy Is The Head
Developed through the Thousand Island’s Playhouse Playwright’s Unit.
WORLD PREMIERE: February 20 – 29, 2020 Western Canada Theatre (Kamloops, BC)
August 28 – September 26, 2021 – Stratford Festival, Tom Patterson Theatre Canopy (Stratford, ON)
October 7-30, 2021 (with Livestreamed performances October 20-30) – Thousand Islands Playhouse, Firehall Theatre (Gananoque, ON)
November 23 – December 19, 2021 (In-Person) & December 7 – 12, 2021 (Live Streaming) – The Belfry Theatre (Victoria, BC)
Script is available for purchase through Scirocco Drama
