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Henry VIII

by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

This is Shakespeare's dutiful tribute to one of the most imposing and terrifying rulers in European history. The kingdom trembles as the giant monarch storms through his midlife crisis, disposing of the faithful Katharine of Aragon and starting a new life and, the king hopes, a line of succession with the captivating young Anne Bullen. Unlike his predecessors, Henry has no doubt about the security of his tenure on the throne, and dominates the royal court with absolute authority. The extent of the King's power is graphically illustrated by the fate of the Duke of Buckingham, who goes calmly to execution while deploring, not the unjust despotism of the king. but rather the machinations of the unscrupulous advisers who led their sovereign astray.

As in Henry V, Shakespeare's other portrait of a relentlessly triumphant monarch, the interest of the audience is maintained by the sheer busyness of the action and the lively interpolations from minor characters such as the ambitous Old Lady. The play has a surprisingly modern flavour: the presentation of the drama has a journalistic aspect almost completely absent from Shakespeare's other history plays. There is even a set of "Royal watchers" - the three gossipy gentlemen! (Summary by Algy Pug)

Cast:
Anne Bullen: Arielle Lipshaw
Archbishop of Cranmer: Martin Geeson
Bishop Lincoln: Dale Burgess
Brandon: Algy Pug
Capucius: Algy Pug
Cardinal Campeius: Lars Rolander
Cardinal Wolsey: Bruce Pirie
Chorus: Ruth Golding
Crier: Ezwa
Cromwell: Dale Burgess
Doctor Butts: Matthew Reece
Duke of Buckingham: Peter Bishop
Duke of Norfolk: John Fricker
Duke of Suffolk: Elizabeth Klett
Earl of Surrey: Tricia G
First Gentleman: Readalot
First Secretary: Amy Gramour
Gardiner: Michael Irskens
Garter: Arielle Lipshaw
Gentleman: Paul Andrews
Griffith: Ric F
Henry VIII: Algy Pug
Keeper: Paul Andrews
Lord Abergavenny: Paul Andrews
Lord Chamberlain: Matthew Reece
Lord Chancellor: Jason Bortles
Lord Sands: Timothy Ferguson
Man: David Lawrence
Messenger: Arielle Lipshaw
Old Lady: rashada
Page: Roseanne Schmidt
Patience: Ruth Golding
Porter: Algy Pug
Queen Katharine: Elizabeth Klett
Scribe: Arielle Lipshaw
Second Gentleman: Amy Gramour
Sergeant: Ernst Pattynama
Servant: Ana
Sir Anthony Denny: Ernst Pattynama
Sir Henry Guildford: Martin Geeson
Sir Nicholas Vaux: Algy Pug
Sir Thomas Lovell: Paul Adams
Surveyor: Aimi
Third Gentleman: Veggrower
Narrator: Tricia G
Song performed by Ezwa

Audio edited by: Algy Pug

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