Review: 1536, Almeida Theatre

I imagined that the lives of three women in 16th-century rural England were very different to mine, but I instantly found myself connecting with the protagonists of 1536 at the Almeida Theatre. Through chatty dialogue and genuine human warmth from the actors, 1536 quickly establishes that the dynamics of friendship are universal and timeless, which is also true of the political themes.

1536 takes place in the titular year and follows three women in a small Essex village as news of the downfall of Anne Boleyn trickles through. It charts the dynamics of these friendships, through marriage and intrigue, as a profound shift in the moral scrutiny of women takes place around them.

There are excellent performances from Siena Kelly, Liv Hill and Tanya Reynolds. All three convincingly convey a vast sea of emotions and personal history beneath the skin of their characters. Kelly, as Anna, is the stand-out performer. She delivers a blistering and deeply moving performance, delivering powerful pathos by intensely portraying a woman who dreams of a bigger life but faces patriarchal oppression.

The world of 1536 is deftly brought to life via the bleak staging that enhances the mood of the scenes, all of which take place in a stark, dry field, containing a dead tree. Here the women meet to talk, and do other illicit activities, away from the patriarchal world of their village. This staging creates the sense of a place that is separate from society, from where it can be escaped or interrogated.

Ava Pickett’s writing is brilliant and the aspect of the show I enjoyed the most. Each woman is artfully developed as a three-dimensional human being, without any heavy-handed exposition. Her dialogue begins as witty and then becomes tenser as the mood darkens.

The tension rises throughout, as the news about the imprisoned Queen grows worse and the morality of the men becomes increasingly hardline. This all builds to an explosive ending that pays off the build-up with nail-biting intensity. This is aided by lighting, sometimes blood red, and modern discordant music that adds to the rising sense of foreboding.

As the tension rises, the world gets more dangerous for women. The men in their lives become increasingly angry and draconian. The dramatic arc of the writing makes the rising male rage apparent through subtle dialogue, as the virtue of the Queen is questioned and increasingly lurid rumours about her are spread.

Anne Boleyn casts a long shadow as a potent symbol of the oppression of women. The effect of her downfall on the free-willed Anna is apparent, as this symbol of all that women could aspire to is cut down by the fury of men. The pain of having this glimpse of what a woman could be, and then having it taken away, is vividly brought to life through gripping performance and writing.

The political themes are apparent, from fake news to male anger. 1536 graphically portrays the fear of many women, as our society becomes increasingly hostile to women who defy patriarchal expectations. This is the best evocation of increasing male rage, in fiction or journalism, that I have seen.

This political message transcends the setting to make the show urgent for today’s politics. By using the early modern setting to explore the issue of the radicalisation of men to extremist patriarchalanger, 1536 effectively interrogates modern gender dynamics.

The climax stunned me to silence and was greeted by a standing ovation. The amazing performances fully immersed me in this early modern world, while great writing dramatised a vital political message in an emotionally engaging way.

Written by: Ava Pickett
Directed by: Lyndsey Turner
Design by: Max Jones
Lighting Director: Jack Knowles
Sound Design by: Tingying Dong
Composed and Arranged by: Will Stuart

1536 plays at Almeida Theatre until Saturday 7 June.