Wolf Hall: Parts 1 & 2 are adapted by Mike Poulton from Hilary Mantel's double Man Booker Prize winning novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (published Henry Holt in the U.S.). The plays are based on the deceit, betrayal, and intrigue of the court of Henry VIII. The production features a company of more than twenty actors, headed by Ben Miles as Thomas Cromwell, Lydia Leonard as Anne Boleyn, and Nathaniel Parker as King Henry VIII, all under the direction of Olivier Award nominee Jeremy Herrin, who makes his New York City directing debut. The Royal Shakespeare Company is appearing with the permission of Actors' Equity Association.
Even if you've practically memorised the books, Wolf Hall still feels incomplete. Because it is. The third part of Mantel's trilogy, which details Cromwell's downfall, hasn't yet been published. Wolf Hall is a tragedy, but right now it concludes like a comedy (well, a comedy with a lot of beheading), which the second part acknowledges. 'There are no endings,' Cromwell says. 'They are all beginnings. This is one.' And gripping enough that I suspect nearly all of us will be back in these seats in a few years time, eager to see - 500-year-old spoiler alert - the bloody conclusion.
The sheer number of actors parading across the stage (nearly two dozen) can be overwhelming, particularly when it seems half the characters are named Thomas. But Wolf Hall is remarkably efficient in streamlining the Mantel novels down to their most exciting essence, making the play's pace seem much swifter than six hours. The immensely talented actors manage to make every backroom deal, courtier spat and royal tantrum fully enjoyable.
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