Cast announced ahead of National Tour of Handbagged coming to Lowry this March

The cast has been announced for the National Tour of Moira Buffini’s fly-on-the-wall comedy Handbagged that is set to visit the Lowry.

The comedy performance based on Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher has been reimagined with music featuring reworkings of 80s pop classics.

The show will be on a national UK tour, but will be stopping at the Lowry stage from March 18 to 22 2025.

The reimagined revival of Moira Buffini’s comedy Handbagged will showcase the imagined conversations between two of history’s most revered female leaders.

Audience members will be able to a fly on the wall, as they are shown the face-to-face discussions betwen her Royal Majesty and the former Prime Minister in the privacy of the palace.

Directed by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s Alex Thorpe, this fresh interpretation of the play will feature new music composed for the show, a cappella singing, and remixed pop classics of the iconic era.

Handbagged explores the intense relationship that two female powerhouses formed over a decade, and the legacy they each left behind.

Ahead of the shows performance the cast have been announced with the casting for Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II, otherwise known as Mags and Liz.

Performing as Mags, Emma Ernest will take the role, previously performing in as an understudy in The Other Place (National Theatre, 2024) as well as Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe, 2024).

Whilst ‘Liz’ will be performed by Helen Reuben after previously playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret (English Theatre Frankfurt, 2019) and the title role in Pictures of Dorian Gray (Jermyn Street Theatre, 2019).

The older versions of the two main characters ‘T’ and ‘Q’ will be played by Morag Cross who previously appeared in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre, 2016, 2018 & 2022).

And she will be accompanied by Sarah Moyle best known for playing the much-loved series regular ‘Valerie’ in BBC’s Doctors.

Ahead of the performance at the Lowry and the national tour, Director Alex Thorpe said, “I am thrilled to welcome this multi-talented cast as we prepare to embark on the most ambitious Theatre Nation Partnerships tour to date.

“As we reexamine these fierce and famed women, joining this ensemble company is some of the UK’s most exciting creative talents, realising Moira Buffini’s satirically funny comedy.

“Performed on Katie Lias’ golden contemporary set and propelled by Kate Marlais’s reworking of 80’s pop classics and the award-winning Ryan Day’s lighting – this truly extraordinary team is not to be missed.”

The show will certainly be one to not miss out on, and will be at the Lowry from from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 March.

More information about the show and tickets can be found here.