ANNE BOLEYN

ANNE BOLEYN

CTW at the Old Court

28.09.12

Chelmsford Theatre Workshop is presenting the East Anglian amateur premiere of Howard Brenton's intriguing account of Henry VIII, his second wife, King James I and his bible.

Stuart Adkins reviewed it on opening night for NODA - his piece is here.

Jim Hutchon saw it for the Chelmsford Weekly News:

Director Christine Davidson has a history of debuting major productions here in East Anglia, and Anne Boleyn is no exception. Straight from its celebrated production at Shakespeare’s Globe, Howard Brenton’s masterly play thrilled audiences at the Old Court, with near Shakespearian language, sumptuous costumes and faultless performances.

This is no straight boring narrative of the ups and downs of the Tudor years though. The author plucks key incidents from a time line that covers the courtship and early marriage of Henry and Anne, but leapfrogs the generations to James I's fascination with the woman. He turns these incidents into telling vignettes of the forces that shaped the changing religious landscape of England.

Gillie Marshall as Anne, trod a highly skilful line between innocent pawn and ambitious manipulator, while Geoff Browne as Henry did a fine authoritative line as a bully with a heart. Simon Thomas as Wolsey and Chris Piper as Cromwell never failed to send shivers down my spine as they squirmed their way through dangerous changing allegiances.

I think my favourite was Peter Jeary as James, with a strangled Scots tongue, great scholarship and impish sense of humour that brought a superb sense of perspective to the whole play.

I can’t remember when I enjoyed myself more at the theatre. And, although it's playing to fullish houses, if you can get a ticket for this week’s performances, 3^rd-6^th October, I recommend you try. Box Office 01245 606505.

Laura Bennett was there on the same night - her thoughts are here.

production photograph: James Sabbarton

ANNE BOLEYN

ANNE BOLEYN

Shakespeare's Globe tour at the Arts Theatre Cambridge

17.03.12

A huge touring company – fruitful collaboration between English Touring Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe – begins its travels at the Arts in Cambridge.

John Dove's première production of Howard Brenton's fascinating and intriguing piece survives very successfully the transfer to what must be one of the smallest stages of the tour. The Globe setting is evoked rather than replicated, with a single tree and a tiny musician's gallery.

One of the few scenes actually to benefit from the claustrophobic intimacy this allows was the moment when Anne is arrested, and is left alone amid an uncaring court.

Jo Herbert is a magnetic Anne, charming the audience, and her Henry, with her direct, flirtatious manner. Difficult to achieve the rapport with the house when darkness makes us invisible, but she succeeds, especially in her final farewell. Survivors from 2010 included Colin Hurley's woolly Wolsey, Michael Bertenshaw's solid Cecil, and James Garnon's amazing King James. And another chance to shudder at Julius d'Silva's Cromwell, career politician and ruthless schemer. A new Villiers in Michael Camp: an impressively honest performance, though the comic timing needs a few more previews to perfect.

It was good to chat with the players beforehand [another relic of the Globe original] – we learned that Lady Celia graduated from Fitzwilliam in 1997, and that "Steamy", though daunted by the old hands who arrived word perfect at the first rehearsal, was made welcome by a friendly company, and is hoping to see the show garner some five star reviews when it plays to the national critics in Brighton …

ANNE BOLEYN

at Shakespeare's Globe

31.07.10

The pillars are sprouting shoots and leaves; the actors are at hand, chatting to those groundlings within reach, and more awkwardly, to the Middle Gallery. Nothing profound [“so then, Anne Boleyn, witch, whore or wronged woman?”], but the sort of stuff our own dear Queen might ask [“have you been here before?”].

Then Jon Banks's band strikes up one of Henry VIII's greatest hits, and we're away, with Miranda Raison's modern Anne charming the Globe, teasing the audience, pulling her story [religion, execution] out of the bag, then fast forward 67 years to James I – a big bold performance from James Garnon, playing his second Scottish King this season. Government by show of glory – all those Elizabethan frocks on a rail – and his fetish, Anne Boleyn's marriage gown.

Time is a recurrent motif – five hours later, a fifteen-minute interval, thirteen lucid seconds between the blade and oblivion.

Religion, too, of course. Puritans, Presbyterians, protestants, conspirators for Christ. A meeting with Tyndale in the woods; pleading in vain with Cromwell's implacable back. 'Priest', 'Church' and 'Charity' in James's new Bible, drafted by the best scholars, with poets “for the odd felicitous phrase”.

Not to mention politics – the men and the money, “the mighty and the mice”.

John Dove's production never puts a foot wrong, with strong input from the Henry VIII company, though only Raison keeps the same character. Anthony Howell is even younger and fitter than Dominic Rowan's Henry, Colin Hurley blusters as “Woolly” Wolsey, and John Dougall is a cold, hard Cromwell. And on the distaff side, Amanda Lawrence, a memorable Fool in Henry VIII, was Lady Rochford, later to share the fate of another “unfaithful” queen, Katherine Howard.

In an ending which recalls Brenton's In Extremis as well as Shaffer's Amadeus, Boleyn returns to address us, “demons of the future” and ask God's blessing on us all. Followed, as ever, by the jig, with the whole company – Simpkin, Cecil, clerics, courtiers and countryfolk – enjoying the Globe atmosphere with the capacity crowd.