First performed on stage at the Globe Theatre in 1960, A Man for All Seasons is a blistering historical drama that’s achieved near-canonical status. Following the final months and years of Henry VIII’s doomed Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas More, this compelling stage play was written by Robert Bolt, whose 1966 screen adaptation also earned him a ‘Best Screenplay’ Oscar. A Man for All Seasons has undergone an array of runs and revivals over the years, including lauded productions on Broadway and the West End. This month, Your Local Link was lucky enough to land tickets for an evening performance at York’s Grand Opera House, where a new production of the show is available to watch for five days only, before moving on to a limited run in London, at the Harold Pinter Theatre…
In the latest incarnation of A Man for All Seasons, directed by Jonathan Church, veteran player Martin Shaw (of ‘Judge John Deed’ and ‘Inspector George Gently’ fame) reprises the role of Sir Thomas More with aplomb, following an acclaimed West End stint back in 2006; his steadfastly assured performance here is undoubtedly informed by this previous outing.
Rather than the purely sympathetic, often-paper-thin portrayals of Sir Thomas More we’ve become used to (this well-worn historical figure has long been painted purely as a Catholic martyr), Shaw’s depiction of More is a little more complex: we’re led to view the character as a patriarch, diplomat, authoritarian, quarreller, and, eventually, a defeated man, reluctantly assigned to his impending execution. Shaw’s More refuses to bend, displaying devout faith and a staunch, stubborn streak in the face of death – this is especially prevalent in the later stages of the play, when the character is finally hauled in front of a kangaroo court.
No morality play would be complete without a villain of the piece, and this production features not one, but three antagonists worth their weight in gold: More’s friend-turned-foe Henry VIII (played with scene-stealing relish by Huw Bretnall on the night of our visit, stepping in for Orlando James), the ruthless, measured rival Thomas Cromwell (depicted in sneaky, spiky style by Edward Bennett), and the foil of the piece, Richard Rich, the Machiavellian betrayer whose lies would ultimately lead More to the chopping block, head first. For our money, Rich is one of the most interesting and multi-faceted characters on display here, elegantly played by Calum Finlay, first as More’s snivelling protege, and later as a vengeful perjurer.
We’re guided through proceedings by The Common Man, an all-encompassing narrator who appears in multiple guises, played with comedic zeal by the charming Gary Wilmot.
Amidst the lingering dread and lethal moral quandary that permeate the plot, Wilmot’s breezy Common Man provides a welcome sense of light relief, and had the Grand Opera House audience firmly wrapped around his finger throughout the show. Asif Khan’s humorous depiction of the underhanded Spanish ambassador Signor Chapuys was similarly met with delighted chuckles from the York audience, especially when he put forward his opinion on the people of God’s Own County…
Church’s production benefits greatly from understated yet effective set design, with subtle lighting changes accentuating shifts in tone and momentum, without taking away from the bread and butter of Bolt’s witty, driving dialogue. Given that this stage play is set in the royal courts of the sixteenth century, it’s no surprise that the language used in this dialogue is of the period – formal, antiquated, yet still accessible and easy to digest. In fact, The Common Man is the only character who deviates into contemporary speech and dialect, breaking the fourth wall and transplanting the audience back into modern-day York, with a wink and a nod.
With its rising tension, rich interplay of dialogue, and tangible dramatic peaks, this intense production of A Man for All Seasons is a crowd-pleaser indeed! Your Local Link would highly recommend readers to check out this acclaimed show, before it moves down South!
A Man for All Seasons runs at Grand Opera House York until 2nd August. Visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/a-man-for-all-seasons/grand-opera-house-york/ to book your tickets today!
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