Following a national tour earlier this year, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS starring Martin Shaw and Gary Wilmot has now transferred to London’s Harold Pinter Theatre.
We all know about Henry VIII and his six wives, thanks to a little musical called ‘SIX‘ – but what you may not know (I didn’t until I saw this show) is that when (after 23 years of marriage) Catherine of Aragon was unable to give Henry a child (who could carry on the family blood line), he demanded that Lord Chancellor (and friend of Henry’s) Sir Thomas Moore, grant him a divorce, so he may marry Anne Boleyn. But as the catholic church did not condone or recognise divorce, he was forced to choose between his loyalty and his own conscience – ultimately (spoiler alert) leading to his execution.
Martin Shaw stars as Sir Thomas More – scholar, ambassador, Lord Chancellor and friend to King Henry VIII. Above all, he is a man of integrity, loved by the common people and his own family.
Also in the cast is acting legend Gary Wilmot, Edward Bennett, Abigail Cruttenden, Nicholas Day, Calum Finlay, Asif Khan, Hari Kang, Sam Parks, Sam Phillips, Louisa Sexton, Timothy Watson, Orlando James and Huw Brentnall.
A Man For All Seasons isn’t going to appeal to everyone and honestly, I’m not much of a history buff so it was never going to be my cup of tea. But I can still appreciate it on its merits as a production. In a world of Jamie Lloyd modernised theatre, it was nice to see a period piece in classic costume but combined with the basic set design it all just felt a bit boring.
If you’re a big fan of historical plays then you will most likely love A Man For All Seasons. But as someone who is not, this production didn’t manage to pull me in and engage me to a point where my interest was piqued.
It may be A Man For All Seasons but not a show for all people.
★★★
West End Wilma
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