Henry VIII (London) London Reviews and Tickets

90%

(4 Reviews)

Positive

100%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Clever, Quirky, Funny, Great acting

About the Show

Shakespeare's rarely produced "Henry VIII" is reimagined from a female perspective.

Shakespeare and John Fletcher's 'Henry VIII' is a quasi-historical play about power, ambition and the desire for an heir to the throne.

In this bold revival, our central protagonist is a Queen rather than a King where the drama is explored from the female perspective.

Directed by Amy Hodge and written in collaboration with Hannah Khalil ('A Museum in Baghdad').

Member Reviews (4)

Quirky, Entertaining, Clever

See it if you want to see a modern, surprising, and engaging take on the bard. Audience participation was VERY enjoyable and totally surprised me

Don't see it if shakespeare is tough for you, though it's so well delivered that language isn't much of a barrier really. You dislike gold phallic objects

Quirky, Entertaining, Cliched

See it if Quirky Is the right word to describe this production. It’s a very different take to most interpretations of Henry VIII but we enjoyed it.

Don't see it if Director tried to make a serious play funny and in parts succeeded. The language is occasionally tortuous. Don’t go if your easily shocked.

100

Clever, Funny, Entertaining, Great singing, Great acting

See it if You enjoy Shakespeare and like a slight twist on the formula. Standing tickets are super engaging as the standing area is part of set

Don't see it if You don't like Shakespeare

100

Great staging, Great acting, Funny, Clever, Absorbing

See it if You like history, like beautiful singing, like a slightly different take on female roles in history

Don't see it if You don’t like sexual references or Shakespeare

Critic Reviews (8)

Though it has flashes of brilliance, Amy Hodge’s splashy, revisionist, female-focused staging makes Shakespeare’s troublesome late history play even more of a mess. There’s enough going on here to please nerds and Shakespeare completists, but I can’t honestly recommend it to anyone else.
Read more

The play itself feels slightly disjointed. It is worth seeing this production for curiosity value alone but dramatically it feels like a lesser performed work for a reason.
Read more

The first act takes a while to crank into gear, and Hodge doesn’t always accommodate some of the show’s visual riffs ... to a cast who rarely seem to inhabit the same play.
Read more

Do what needs to be done to make a middling play sizzle. Dramatically, though, nothing much does. Georgia Lowe’s purple and gold design is one of several successes of staging.
Read more

Hodge's production has a slight sense of hurling everything at the wall to see what sticks. It's messy but appealing, and about as subtle as being smacked over the head ... but you're unlikely to be bored.
Read more

This production valiantly transcends the scratchiness of the script with a bold aesthetic, punchy performances and a well-judged musical score. Even with Khalil’s additions this work will never be ranked as one of Shakespeare’s greats, but it’s worth a look.
Read more

Amy Hodge’s production is bawdy and more-or-less ahistorical, playing a bit like a pastiche. The production is probably most effective when it eschews the gimmicks. Debbie Korley and Anna Savva are good value as a pair of gossiping ragamuffins.
Read more

Casting Bea Segura, a Spanish actor in the role [of Catherine of Aragon] further renders the historical woman more real to us now. All the profound, well-wrought speeches are an actor’s dream. Henry VIII [is] a very clever, funny and absorbing two and a half hours of pure theatre magic.
Read more