Review: BLOODY MARY AND THE NINE DAY QUEEN, Union Theatre
Photo credit: Colin Perkins
At the Union Theatre, Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen takes a well-known piece of English history and gives it new life through music, emotion, and a surprisingly sharp sense of humour. It focuses on Mary Tudor and Lady Jane Grey, two women at the heart of a violent power struggle, caught between personal faith, family ambition and a kingdom that never truly wanted either of them on the throne.
This is a musical, with music by Gareth Hides and Anna Unwin, and it’s the score that lifts the story beyond the walls of the Union’s intimate space. It’s tuneful, emotional, often witty, and feels both familiar and fresh. There are a few standout numbers, but ‘Bloody’, sung by Cezarah Bonner as Mary, is a real highlight. It’s powerful, complex and delivered with such raw precision that the entire room seem to lean forward as one.
The production also finds clever ways to handle moments that could easily have become clunky. Edward VI is represented by a literal puppet, crafted by Picture to Puppet, and it’s both funny and deeply effective. He’s manipulated in every sense of the word, and the song ‘The Puppet King’ really drives the point home – perhaps a bit too literally, but in a fun way, nonetheless.
The performances are strong across the board. Cezarah Bonner gives Mary a fierce, aching humanity, and Anna Unwin brings a quiet strength to Jane, making their relationship feel layered rather than simply oppositional. Their voices carry much of the emotional weight of the piece, and when they share the stage, it’s gripping. Constantine Andronikou brings steely calculation to Northumberland, Johnnie Benson gives Guildford Dudley a disarming tenderness, and Gareth Hides as Henry Grey is particularly good in the moments when ambition starts to curdle into fear.
There are some lovely touches in the writing too. Lines such as “The girl who would be King” and “Her only crime the crown she never wore” stay with you, clean and cutting in their simplicity. It’s in these moments that the show really understands its own story.
That said, there are areas that could be sharper. Some parts of the story are glossed over, particularly Jane’s overthrow and the attempt to overthrow Mary. It makes sense with the tight running time, but it does leave these big historical moments feeling a little shoehorned in. Spending slightly less time in Jane’s cell and more on these turning points might give the story more room to breathe.
A few of the lyrics lean towards the obvious and overly expositional, spelling out things the audience already understands. But the stronger songs – and there are plenty of them – make up for it. The same goes for the cast size: a bigger ensemble would help bring crowd scenes to life and keep the main characters fixed in the audience’s mind. Having Jane and Mary doubling up as guards and commoners is a small distraction in an otherwise polished piece.
Still, the heart of this show is solid. The score is rich, the performances are beautifully pitched, and the direction finds clarity in a story that’s often reduced to stereotypes. It’s a smart, moving, and occasionally very funny retelling of a brutal piece of Tudor history.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Lisamarie Lamb
