This Review is from August 2026

Jon Brittain and Matt Tedford’s Margaret Thatcher Queen of Hollywood is the sequel to the brilliant, long running, Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho – first performed over ten years ago.

Both are original comedy musicals featuring Tedford’s seminal depiction of the Iron Lady.

Queen of Soho was set in the age of Thatcher’s homophobic Clause 28 and was a loud and proud cry for greater gay rights. Queen of Hollywood lacks such focus. The idea is that, having conquered Soho, the former PM is going to star in a remake of the Meryl Steep movie. She meets dodgy producers, oppressed assistants, and Streep herself. It is a light touch satire of Epstein and his ilk.

But the show is clearly not ready.

About 35 minutes in, the line is “oh my goodness, it is working.”

An awkward pause, “but the sound isn’t.”

The actor looks to the tech box, “Are we alright up there?”

It isn’t alright up there. Tedford covers for it the best he can with some cheery audience banter before a techie announces that the show is going to halt for a bit.

“I hope there are no reviewers in.”

The audience waits for five minutes for the action to resume, and a pivotal scene is skipped.

Tedford has Thatcher nailed down. You won’t see the Iron Lady parodied better. The songs are belters and the choreography is one point. The cast are great. The costumes are fabulous. The set is amazing and the whole thing is beautifully lit.

Once they find the hook and lose the issues, Queen of Hollywood may well be every bit as good as its predecessor. But not yet.

Martin Walker