Ellie Grace & Chloe Avery-Comberbach discuss The Whore Queen at The Courtyard Theatre
After the success of our 2025 Camden Fringe Interviews, we thought it only right to attempt a repeat for 2026. So throughout July we’ll be publishing new interviews each day to give a taste of what to expect from London’s best fringe theatre festival. The festival starts Monday 3 August this year, so we may give ourselves a couple of days off inbetween the end of the interviews and the first shows… then again, we might not.
You can find out more about Camden Fringe, along with details of every show playing this August here. You can also find all of this year’s interviews as they are published here.
When history is written by the men who destroy you, taking back your own story requires a radical act of reinvention. Enter The Whore Queen, Ellie Grace’s sharp, witty, and unapologetically modern solo show heading to The Courtyard Theatre as part of Camden Fringe 2026.
Evolving from an MA research project on historical subjectivity into a full-throttle theatrical experience, The Whore Queen asks a simple question: what if Anne Boleyn was given her voice back, and what if that voice happens to dance to Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, and Sabrina Carpenter?
Stripping away centuries of court propaganda and misogynistic myth-making, writer-performer Ellie Grace and producer Chloe Avery-Comberbach bring us an Anne Boleyn who is complex, intimidating, flirtatious, and deeply resilient, proving that behind the tragic history, she was, after all, just a girl.
We caught up with Ellie and Chloe to chat about historical accuracy, taking the show to the Tower of London, and blending 16th-century court politics with a modern girly-pop soundtrack.
If you had to describe the vibe of your show in just one sentence, what would it be and how does it manifest on stage?
Girly-pop Anne Boleyn because she too was just a girl. Anne has always felt so inherently ahead of her time, it feels right that she would have banter with the audience and dance to Charli xcx.
Why is 2026 the perfect time for this show to be seen?
There always seems to be a hunger for retellings – whether that’s adaptations of classics or moments in history and 2026 is no exception. And there always seems to be this constant battle between creating something fresh and historical accuracy. There are implications surrounding either outcome. The Whore Queen chips away at this argument over the course of the piece – being informative whilst also confronting, engaging, and fun!
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Ellie: Not at all! I’d originally written the play as part of my MA dissertation project as a response to the question “How much can an actor rely on objectivity during their process and performance when portraying a historical figure?”. This previous iteration aimed to see how accurately I could portray Anne – which proved to be very difficult as we have personal or positive accounts of her life, her personality, and thoughts. Henry made sure she would be forgotten – only to be remembered by powerful men who despised her. After falling down an existential rabbit hole and realising everything in life is subjective and everything we know about life is all just based on theory, I decided to play around with the characterisation and push the boundaries in the other direction. Although a lot of the main content is the same, its the direction and performance that is different. It really helped to find this version of Anne who is modern, fun, intimidating – yet still the same radical and flirtatious woman we have come to know in the history books.
What was it that drew you to this show and role?
Chloe: I’ve always been a huge advocate for El’s work. Her talent shines through in everything she does and she truly is a force to be reckoned with. I was lucky enough to read the early rough drafts of The Whore Queen while El was writing it at drama school. I was completely blown away by how intelligent and considered the script was. It highlighted Anne’s life in a way I’d never seen before, giving her a voice that felt both authentic and incredibly relevant.
I’ve also been fortunate enough to see different versions of the show throughout it’s development and witness it grow into the production audiences at Camden Fringe will get to experience. El has a brilliant way of bringing this Tudor story into the 21st Century through contemporary storytelling, sharp humour and a ridiculously good girly pop soundtrack featuring artists like Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp and The Last Dinner Party.
What drew me to becoming a producer on this show and to El’s recreation of Anne Boleyn specifically, was the opportunity to be part of a piece that is both entertaining and meaningful. The script is intelligent, funny and emotionally honest. El balances the darker, more vulnerable parts of Anne’s story with humour and energy so beautifully, I was excited to help bring that vision to life. It’s the kind of theatre that makes people laugh, think, and see a well-known historical figure from an entirely new perspective.
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Ellie: I love her wit and cheekiness. But above all, I enjoy the strength of her character. I can’t fully comprehend how hostile it must have been in that court – to hear the whispers and rumours – and remain as composed as she could even when faced with death.
Being fringe and a festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this?
The play naturally lends itself to being stripped back – and that is ultimately the feeling I want to create. History has worn away at Anne to the point where you just have to see the iconography of the “B” necklace and know the play is about her. A lot of the props in the show are books which are the sources I read that influenced the play. It’s a nice little nod to the fact that this is my version of Anne and she exists in so many other ways to so many different people. And you can never go wrong with a good old chair!
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?
We’ve performed at some great venues already but we are hoping to take this show on tour and Edinburgh Fringe. We’re also cooking up a Bronte play but it’s very early days yet (don’t tell anyone!)
Who would play you in the Hollywood adaptation of your future autobiography?
Ellie: Florence Pugh – she’s got a great crying face and I cry a lot!
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
As the play is set there, I would have to say the Tower of London! It would make for a very unique and immersive experience and really challenge audiences – bringing the woman who is just a few lines on an information board to life in front of their eyes at the very place hers was taken away.
Many thanks to Ellie and Chloe for this time. The Whore Queen will be visiting The Courtyard Theatre on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 (including a matinee performance) August.
