ACT Reviews 2022-2023 Season

the ambitious spy, Richard Rich, who states that he had “lost my innocence”. This character is considered by some English historians to be the worst Brit of the 1500’s, partly because of the perjury he committed against More at his trial. Being dressed all in black added to the menace of his character. Diane McIntyre made the most of her sparsely written role as More’s wife, Lady Alice. The same can be

said of Rachel MacBryde as the daughter of More. Giles Gaddum, as More’s son-in-law, William Roper, showed change from the almost atheist character at the start to a believer by the end of the play. Michael Scott as Henry VIII showed how easy to anger, dangerous and selfish the monarch could be, and Martin Bancroft, as Cardinal Woolsey/ Thomas Cranmer, gave good characterisations, though these were all too brief. Paul Yandell, as the Duke of

Norfolk, came over as a puppet of the King, the rouged cheeks and almost panto king look conveyed that this man would do the bidding of his superiors, whether he agreed with it or not. Peter Cliffe as Signor Chapuys looked good in costume but may have benefitted from trying a slight accent to distinguish him as Spanish. The whole production had the audience captivated and engaged.