APT's world premiere of 'Virgin Queen' twists the knife

Lindsay Christians, The Cap Times

We, the reading and viewing public, tend to subject people who marry into royalty to the most intense scrutiny.

Duchess Kate Middleton wrestled with a Photoshop scandal as she underwent treatment for cancer. Meghan Markle remains “surprisingly hated” in Britain. Lord Snowdon’s extramarital exploits, even post-Princess Margaret, fed tabloids for years.

For them, royalty was a decision. But what of the queens who had no other choice?

In “The Virgin Queen Entertains Her Fool,” a new drama given its world premiere by American Players Theatre, Philadelphia playwright Michael Hollinger examines the sacrifices women make when they ascend to power. APT’s thrilling, tightly plotted production directed by Aaron Posner runs through Sept. 19 in the Touchstone. (Many performances are already, rightfully, sold out.)

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