Charisma, duplicity, spin: a description of a 21st-century election campaign? Possibly, but those same forces are also at insidious and timeless work in Mary Stuart, playwright Friedrich Schiller’s account of the monumental confront ation between Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, and Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, aka Mary Stuart.

As Mary languishes in prison, Elizabeth prepares to sign her death warrant. But Mary remains a dangerous woman — she has nothing to lose by speaking out freely. Not for nothing does Peter Oswald’s excellent new version of the play, used here, describe both women as “female kings” in a world used to being governed by men. All of which makes the play a challenging choice for Oxford Theatre Guild. The two central performances are obviously crucial, and have the power to make or break a production, whether it be amateur or professional.

In the opening scenes, Elizabeth is represented solely by an unoccupied throne, designed in a strikingly contemporary style in an otherwise period production — the clothes are sumptuously beautiful (designer: Isobel Pellow). The same absent, but potent, power might well be felt should the Prime Minister be “empty chaired” in the current row about TV election broadcasts.

When she does arrive, Rachel Pearson’s Elizabeth instantly creates an air of regal hauteur. Yet this woman, who has sacrificed love for power, has eyes that very obviously appraise the physical attributes of every young male courtier brought before her. But Pearson also makes it very clear that Elizabeth is wracked by doubt: should she sign Mary’s execution order, or not?

In contrast, Cathy Oakes’s Mary is quietly passionate, and only occasionally given to outbursts exposing the full intensity of her feelings. For Oakes and director Hedda Bird, Mary is not as obviously hot-blooded as she is sometimes portrayed. But when the two queens finally confront each other (in a scene imagined by Schiller, it didn’t actually happen), the atmosphere is really explosive.

Gangs of courtiers, many consumed by self-interest if not self-preservation, circle the two women, providing plenty of cameo opportunities for the strong back-up cast — a bit more vocal projection was needed at times on opening night, but this is a production that will gain in strength as the week progresses Oxford Theatre Guild celebrates its 60th birthday this year, and Mary Stuart shows that it remains on great form.

Mary Stuart
Oxford Playhouse
Until Saturday
Tickets: 01865 305305 oxfordplayhouse.com