Review: WOLF HALL - Austin Shakespeare Presents Lavish Reading

Austin Shakespeare's short run, staged reading of WOLF HALL, PART 1, transports the audience to the court of King Henry VIII with smooth staging and lavish costuming.

WOLF HALL, began as a novel by Hilary Mantel, published in 2009 became a bestseller as the first of three books taking on the most politically turbulent years of Henry VIII's reign from the point of view of Thomas Cromwell. Adapted into play form the first two books, WOLF HALL and BRINGING UP AND THE BODIES, by Michael Poulton, the production retains the distinctly modern language Mantel used in her books. In 2015 a miniseries starring Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis brought WOLF HALL to television, garnering a Golden Globe for limited series. Beginning with Henry's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the story follows Cromwell's rapid rise to power as Cardinal Wolsey's secretary. The Cardinal's downfall and eventual death under the cloud of the Henry's dissatisfaction, Cromwell's loyalty, intelligence and legal expertise brings him to the attention of the king. Thomas is instrumental in his monarch's break with the Catholic Church and Henry's divorce from Catherine and subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn. The play also touches on the deaths of Cromwell's wife and daughter in an epidemic and its haunting effect on him.

Staged readings are, by their nature, awkward at best and exceedingly tedious at worst, Austin Shakespeare's WOLF HALL, is neither. Using lush costumes, an outstanding cast and quickly flowing staging director, Ann Ciccolella, gives a depth to the performance sadly lacking in other readings. Cast standouts include Erik Parillo as Cromwell, Marc Pouhé as Cardinal Wolsey and J. Ben Wolfe as Henry VIII. All three actors gave depth to the characters and made them feel all too human. The remainder of the cast is wonderful, they make an awkward format look seamless and exciting. If there was any downside to the production it was that it's run of only four performances was far too short. I look forward to the day when Austin Shakespeare will be able to mount a full production with great anticipation.

WOLF HALL
Adapted by Michael Poulton from the novel by Hilary Mantel

Running Time: 3 hours with one 15 minute intermission

To post a comment, you must register and login.