1536

Ambassadors Theatre

Playing until 1st August 2026

Book tickets

Photo credit: Helen Murray

{PR Gifted ticket}

News have travelled far outside of London. Anne Boleyn had been imprisoned in the tower of London and had been tried for treason and adultery. Given the length in which King Henry VIII went to in order to marry Anne, people of the village initially believed this to be a ruse and that the queen would be untouchable and released within days. However, as the story escalated and the men associated executed, the air became filled with caution and danger as the girls navigate the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Ava Pickett’s original story follows three young girls. Anna (Siena Kelly) is boisterous and has engaged in a casual sexual relationship with Richard (Oliver Johnstone) before he becomes engaged with one of Anna’s best friends, Jane (Liv Hill). Compared with Anna, Jane is noticeably naïve, gullible and blindly follows instructions and the societal norm. Almost acting as a buffer, Mariella (Tanya Reynolds) often intervenes the argument and provides the voice of logic and reason for the two.

The script explores the power dynamic between men and women. Even in situations when a woman could feel desired and sought after, controlling the rhythm and climax of a relationship, the table could turn within an instant. This is exactly the case for Anna, how quickly her bragging rights and all the men that had ever wanted her suddenly become her undoing, mirroring the final days of Anne Boleyn. Her beauty, status and love from a powerful man mean nothing once a man has made up his mind about her. The circumstance of her two friends closely reflects this, and even though their individual stories differ, their trajectories are remarkably similar and all wound up in the same place; accused and abandoned by men when the women are no longer desirable or are viewed more as an obstacle than a boon.  

Delivered in modern English, one might feel that it would feel out of place with the setting. However, this is simply not the case. Instead, it heightens the relatability for the audience in a story that is as poignant today as it was almost 500 years ago.

1536 gives the female centric view, providing a perspective from their eyes without erasing their own wrongdoings. Richard is evidently painted as a sexual predator that open objectifies women. However, Anna herself is not without faults and did herself no favour by rewarding some of Richard’s sickening behaviours. However, the prejudice and power play isn’t just between the two sexes. The dynamic among the women are also one of the highlights and another major attraction of the play. During the course of story as events unfold, we are shown how preconceived images of a woman is also deeply ingrained within the minds of other women and the power play at work. This is particular the case in the way Mariella is treated by Eleanor, the wife of Mariella’s ex-lover, William (George Kemp). Although Eleanor does not physically appear in the play, her behaviour, influence and animosity towards Mariella is palpable. It is also evident that both Jane and Mariella are bought into the men’s narratives of Anna, explaining their actions at the end of the play.

Pickett’s script is nuanced and sheds ample insight into Anna’s complex character. Under Lyndsey Turner’s direction, Kelly personifies a strong and independent woman that is ahead of her times, and shows that growing sense of fear, hesitation and doubt as the villagers begin to turn against her. Though the men’s roles are far smaller than the women’s in this play, Johnstone has perfectly captured the essence of an abusive predator, rousing applause from the audience to his eventual downfall. This in itself is a testimony to his impact as this is something that is rarely observed mid-show from the British audience.

Reynolds also deserves a specific mention; her Mariella is rooted in logic and she shows fierce loyalty to both of her friends and have defended them both on numerous occasions. This makes the choice that she had to make at the end even more impactful when she had to choose between betraying her friend and self-preservation. This is another unique and wonderfully story in which Mariella’s past has turned against her just so that things would be easier and convenient for the men of the story.

Drawing upon so many parallels in the way Anne Boleyn’s story was told, or at least it came to be known, Ava Pickett’s script flawlessly conveys the historically one-sided portrayal of complex circumstances. Here, 1536 unapologetically and boldly points out the hypocrisies from a female led narrative.

Creatives

Writer: Ava Pickett

Director: Lyndsey Turner

Designer: Max Jones

Lighting Designer: Jack Knowles

Sound Designer: Tingying Dong

Composer and Arranger: Will Stuart

Movement and Intimacy Director: Anna Morrissey

Fight Director: Sam Lyon-Behan