Bring up the Bodies - Aldwych Theatre

Bring up the Bodies book cover

I saw this in mid August, so this review is delayed. Bad me. I enjoyed this more than 'Wolf Hall', but I think that's more because I prefer the story of 'Bring up the Bodies' than because the production was significantly better.

I really didn't like the block-y metal decoration thing above the stage. I presume it was there specifically for these plays  - WHY, though? It went well with the concrete walls, but I wasn't keen on them, either. Concrete and the Tudor era just don't go well together.

Like 'Wolf Hall', 'Bring up the Bodies' was rushed and there wasn't a great deal of atmosphere. Thomas Cromwell wasn't sufficiently sagacious or in control. Some of his movements were frenetic and indicative of anxiety, which is not how Mantel's Cromwell should be. In the book he comes across as completely reliable, steady, unflappable and sure of himself. As well as a genius.

I liked the bit near the beginning where ghosts from Cromwell's past appeared, including his wife.

Regarding dramatic pauses, there was a decent dramatic pause during the interrogation of Mark Smeaton. Well done, 'Bring up the Bodies'. 

Jane Seymour was annoying. Sorry, but she was. In the book Jane Seymour is quite a complex character - she's quiet, apparently shy, doesn't really fit in at court, among her family, or with anyone else, and has an unexpected kind of sense of humour. In the play they've made her stupid. Which is a shame. Her put-on undulating voice was annoying.

Costumes again were wonderful. Jane Seymour's gown right at the end was particularly beautiful.

An indication of how good/impactful a production was is how much one thinks about it afterwards. I'm afraid I didn't think much about this one. For both productions, I felt that everything important was included, plotwise. The costumes were perfect. A lot of Mantel's dialogue was used. But...they lacked soul and genuine drama. Most of the main characters were two-dimensional and created through a very literal interpretation of Mantel's books. The plays somehow seemed a bit commercial rather than properly thought through.

Next: Julius Caesar