King Lear, Macbeth, Richard III, Shakespeare had an insatiable fascination for kings and their doings. These storied character studies have provided actors fodder for centuries, but with one catch, no more will ever be written.

King Charles III, written by Mike Bartlett and directed by Rupert Goold, attempts to channel some of this prestige and energy, and in doing so proves itself a modern classic.

The premise is simple: the queen is dead. After a long stable reign, the modern Elizabethan age comes to a close, and so the new King Charles III ascends to the throne. And yet before the crown has even come close to grazing his head, he makes good on years of politicking and opining. Going against years of tradition, the new king attempts to stamp his authority on the state, and all hell breaks loose.

In a production filled with juicy parts, the cast clearly relish the free use of blank verse and iambic pentameter throughout. Robert Powell in particular is excellent as the embattled Charles, torn between a prideful sense of 'principle' and the need for stability. By turns paranoid and pathetic, his Charles is a cornered animal, only really wanting to return to his quiet life. Ben Righton is also wonderful as Prince William, showing more than a hint of steel throughout.

The stage design too is worthy of special praise. A stylised crypt, with a band of mummified faces emblazoned across the middle, it both traps and reflects the developing horror of the band of royals as the danger of their situation becomes ever more apparent to them, the tension becoming almost palpable.

Provocative, funny, absorbing, King Charles III is a triumph. It is a political play that somehow manages to appeal to everyone, even royalists, without losing its edge. A masterful feat indeed.

King Charles III is on at the Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday.