In 1972, a nervous Margaret Thatcher traveled to Laurence Olivier's London home to learn the art of public speaking. The most famous actor of the 20th century told the then education minister to put a book on her head and move around to improve her demeanor. He also advises her to take confident strides and use her eyes to seduce and flirt.

The future prime minister went on to visit Olivier's home for five more lessons, details of which were revealed in the Radio 4 drama, When Maggie Met Larry. Starring Derek Jacobi, who joined Olivier's fledgling National Theater aged just 24, and Frances Barber, who plays Margaret Thatcher, the play follows the Conservative politician who was offered Suggestions of previously unknown styles and sounds.

"Mrs. Thatcher must have been in awe of Larry when she first met him at his home," Jacoby said. "After all, he is the greatest actor. What Larry must have taught her is that politicians have to present their policies and then win votes, just like actors have to win over audiences."

Jacobi, known for Shakespeare roles and TV series I'm Claudiusis Olivier's close friend. "Yes, I knew Larry gave Thatcher lessons. But it was all hush-hush at the time."

While Olivier's lessons are widely known, few details have previously been revealed. The visit was arranged by her speechwriter Ronald Miller, who took her to Olivier's home with Thatcher's image guru Gordon Rees.

Rhys confided in his friend Ronald Harwood, whose writings include Dressing table and pianistfor which he was nominated for an Oscar. Harwood revealed all this later in life to Tim Walker, the new show's writer-critic and playwright.

"Thatcher was practically the invention of theatre," Walker said.

Will be broadcast on February 15th, When Maggie Met Larry The occasion coincides with the 50th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher becoming leader of the Conservative Party. While the play is based on Harwood's briefings and Walker's own research, it is prefaced that "the scenes are imagined," even though the play reflects reality.

For the purposes of this 60-minute radio drama, their six meetings were condensed into one. As well as giving Thatcher advice on growing her hair longer and suggesting different clothes, the pair discussed their contrasting worlds. Thatcher complained that most actors despised her because of her political views, but she liked Olivier because he had the right haircut and polished his shoes. "In fact, Olivier was a 'quiet Tory,'" added Walker, of his stage play Bloody and difficult woman Premiering in London in 2022.

In addition to being mentored by Olivier, Thatcher also worked with theater voice coach Kate Fleming. Walker investigated Fleming's archives held by the theater and found receipt records from late 1972 to 1976. A letter from the Conservative Party's central office to Fleming's home in east London said she should be invoiced £37.80 for six lessons. Interestingly, Thatcher's name was not mentioned.

A later £200 "Long-Term Guidance for Your Tutoring of Thatcher" stated that Fleming should simply have called it a "group course". "Maybe a way not to attract the attention of Thatcher herself?" Walker wondered.

Thatcher apparently adopted Olivier's original advice about the speech. She charmed the likes of Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. She even won the support of her political rival, French President François Mitterrand, who once remarked that "she has the eyes of Caligula and the mouth of Marilyn Monroe."