Backstairs Billy Tickets

The epitome of a loyal royal servant, William Tallon served the Queen Mother for over half a century. In fact, he began writing to the royal household at age 10, asking to work there. When he was 15, he became a junior assistant at Windsor Castle. From there, he worked his way up to becoming the most relied upon and favourite member of the Queen Mother’s royal entourage. He even received the extremely rare Royal Victorian Medal in gold in 2001. A longtime confidante and a faithful butler, Billy was an unforgettable character known for his campy, larger-than-life personality.

Backstairs Billy is inspired by William Tallon’s highly unusual relationship with the Queen Mother, but it is a comedy, not a historical play. Playwright Marcelo Dos Santos presents a humorous and fictionalised interpretation of real people and real events.

What to watch for

• Luke Evans began his career in theatre, but it is the first time he has returned to the stage in 15 years. Evans has performed in multiple West End musicals, including Taboo, Rent, Miss Saigon, and Avenue Q.
• Dame Penelope Wilton is known for her role in Downton Abbey where she played a middle-class woman who often clashed with her more aristocratic in-laws. Now, she’s gone fully posh! In Backstairs Billy, the Olivier Award-winning actress portrays Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, better known as the Queen Mother.
• Marcelo Dos Santos has been hailed as “an important new voice” by director Michael Grandage. Backstairs Billy marks Dos Santos’ West End debut.
• Apparently, Queen Elizabeth II got her famous love of corgis from her mother. Corgis have been a feature of the play’s advertising campaign thus far. Will a corgi or two make an appearance onstage? One can only hope!