Eight years ago I spent a day in the NT’s Olivier Theatre immersing myself in 15th Century Scottish history. It was thrilling. Three plays – The James Plays – with an epic sweep that took your breath away, a highlight in a lifetime of theatre-going. Playwright Rona Munro has this year returned to Scottish history, with a fourth instalment – James 4th, Queen of the fight – touring Scotland, and this here in London. There’s at least one more, with the 5th already written for production in 2023, but this one, No. 6, comes first, with an unwritten 7th promised.
If you’ve seen the trilogy, you have to accept that this is its own thing. It’s so different, focusing on just a few months in 1567, in one location, with just three main characters. Mary’s husband, the King of France, has died and she returns to Scotland. She soon marries again and has a male heir before her new husband is murdered. Some think she’s complicit; her catholicism means there is much mistrust, which leads to rebellion. After an attempt to escape, she surrenders and abdicates. This all happens offstage.
On the stage there is a debate between Sir James Melville, hitherto loyal to Mary, and two surprisingly lowly retainers, gate-keeper Thompson, who appears to become an important messenger for Mary’s new husband Bothwell, and Agnes, a servant who also seems to be a key figure in the protestant rebellion. They discuss what really happened – how much was Mary’s free will? was she coerced or even assaulted?
Once I’d put the trilogy behind me, I found the debate fascinating, a tribute to the lead actors – Douglas Henshall, Brian Vernel & Rona Morison – who bring it alive on a relatively bare stage, with a brilliant moment towards the end where a chorus of women have their say.
Gareth's Culture and Travel Blog 
Leave a Reply