You need all your wits about you in the court of Henry VIII if you don’t want to lose your head.
After all Henry does like to solve his problems by signing a few death warrants.
Born-survivor Thomas Cromwell is the all-seeing and all-knowing royal “fixer” as he stays calm among the dangerous world of Tudor England.
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“If he were our neighbour, I’d go round and say ‘Sort it out Henry! You’re the scandal of the parish,” he jokes behind closed doors.
Adapting award-winning writer Hilary Mantel’s epic novels for the stage was always going to be a mammoth task, but Mike Poulton is true to the spirit of the books and brilliantly captures the tensions and conspiracies lurking in the halls of power.
The king’s overwhelming drive for a male heir is seen through the eyes of Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company fast-paced productions.
Ben Miles offers audience a Cromwell who knows how to keep a secret... and dig them out. He also shows how a common blacksmith’s son rose to such power and the price he paid for it.
The productions covers a lot of history and are peopled with colourful characters like the ambitious Anne Boleyn (Lydia Leonard), the tender-hearted Jane Seymour (Leah Brotherhead) and Paul Jesson as Cardinal Wolsey.
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They give a human face of history with Nathaniel Parker every inch the king as the powerful, demanding, ruthless and deeply worried Henry.
The king relies on Cromwell to solve his problems and his messy relationships, but each knows one mistake can be deadly. Cromwell points out: “I represent the king’s interests. It’s what I am for.”
The court is a dangerous place and you gamble with your life, but Cromwell knows how to play the game. A winner from start to finish.
Both productions are running at the Swan Theatre until March 29.
Marion McMullen