A period drama which couldn’t be more pertinent, 1536 by Ava Pickett is a triumph of feminist rage against a system which is perpetually rigged against women. The trail of Anne Boylen seen through the eyes of three anonymous women – stripping patriarchal attitudes down to bare bones, this electrifying drama exposes – with a warning claxon – the dangerously well-trodden path toward female subjugation. It is not a play to be missed.
‘History is told by victors. And for most of history, men have been the victors’ states Suzannah Lipscomb in the programme’s foreword. This is a play which inverts that narrative. In a small village near Essex, Anna (Siena Kelly). Jane (Liv Hill) and Mariella (Tanya Reynolds) gather in their seclusion of their childhood meeting place, hungry for London’s gossip. Word has spread that The Queen, Anne Boylen, has been arrested by The King. But the narrative unfolds is much more than a historical one – it is deeply personal and resonant. As political tensions grow, so too do the tensions in these women’s own lives. And, as Anne Boylen’s trail captures public spirit, England becomes warped with hyper-misogynist narratives.
The performances are second to none. Kelly is a force of nature, playing the headstrong Anna with defiance and depth. Never shying from vulnerability, she ensures the human at the heart of the drama is nurtured masterfully. Hill is sweet and endearing as the innocently naive Jane, energising the stage with childlike momentum. And, as the wiser of the three, Reynold’s Mariella is truly breathtaking. Capturing the strength of a woman who has learnt to hold her tongue, but not forget it, Reynolds delivers a performance which sits with you for long after curtains.
Playing the men, Angus Cooper as William and Adam Hugill as Richard both shine in their moments on stage. Characters opposite in many ways, the chemistry they exude in performance is of equal brilliant weight.
‘I’m just saying what other people are saying’ is the continual refrain from Jane. Pickett’s script is a masterclass in tension, gutting and exposing the way we permit misogynistic narratives to perpetuate. The Madonna Whore Complex on full display, Pickett’s interlacing of traditional period language with contemporary quips and beautifully developed characters with modern sensibilities is an excellent point driven all the way home. Despite being in 1536, the story remains horribly timeless. Hurt men wielding strength through physical power and social manipulation, reducing women to property and lashing out against the ones who don’t submit to their own debasement. In the misty reeds of Max Jones’ cleverly realised set, the atmosphere is haunting, and the heat of the summer grows to suffocate through Jack Knowles’ beautiful-turned-oppressive lighting. You leave the theatre moved, incensed and gasping for air.
Never neglecting it’s humanity, this is a script which moves you at every level. Tenderness unfurls to comedy, then usurped for brutality within a moment. The audience are on a knife edge – and this is the brilliance of Lyndsey Turner’s direction. Shining her brightest, Turner takes the emotional heart of the play and lets it beat through a megaphone. Choices are bold, with scenes interspersed by theatrically ‘wow-factor’ re-imaginings of blackout and sound that jolt you from your seat, and whilst some moments jar (such as a green-lit screen for an extended playing of Blind Faith’s Can’t Find My Way Home), for the great majority of this production the collective talent which has produced this work culminate in utterly exceptional theatre.
With all the hallmarks of a modern classic, and a powerhouse of creative brilliance behind it, Ava Pickett’s 1536 is exactly what the industry needs. If you can get a ticket, don’t you dare miss it. This is the next big thing.
Running till June 7th, tickets available here: https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/1536-play/
Reviewer: Sadie Pearson
Reviewed: 14th May 2025
North West End UK Rating: