"The first can be touched and moved. The second can be touched but not moved. The third can be moved but not touched."

Have you ever craved love from an absentee parent, desperate to win their affection, only to suffer the ache of abandonment, self-delusion, and the revelation of hidden family secrets? 

This is the premise behind ‘Three Kings’, a monologue written by BAFTA-award winning screenwriter Stephen Beresford, and directed by Heather Davies. Beresford specifically wrote Three Kings for Andrew Scott to perform as part of The Old Vic's Old Vic: In Camera series in 2020.  

The Three Kings refers to a bar game that Patrick has to play - three coins and three rules: The first can be touched and moved. The second can be touched but not moved. The third can be moved but not touched.

As he ponders the rules, Patrick, played by Steve Cowley, recounts a brief but memorable encounter with his father at eight years of age. As the play progresses, and Patrick grows from a child to a man, the audience discover more about  Patrick’s relationship with his father (or lack of), his desperate need for his father’s love and approval, and the consequences of his father’s past actions. Cowley gives a subtle, yet emotional performance, playing multiple roles and characters of various ages.  

Madam Renards is a production company with bases in the north and south of England, specialising in creating and delivering issue-based performances in theatres around the country. They also produce educational and entertaining performances as well as workshops for both curriculum and non-curriculum subjects for school and community settings. 

Steve Cowley has performed all over the UK and abroad and won awards at various Fringe Festivals for his performance as an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD in Battle Cry. Other credits include Macbeth in Macbeth, Michael in This is Living, John Proctor in The Crucible, and John Merrick in The Elephant Man. 

Director Heather Davies has worked as both a performer and director since 2008. Her other  collaborations with Madam Renards include To Sleep, The Life we Lived, and Fred, Ted, Jack & Harold. 

The Albany Theatre, Friday 28 February, 7.30pm