Henry VIII

'Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.'

Part of the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival.
In 1533, the Spanish were enraged by Catherine of Aragon's divorce from Henry VIII. Eighty years later, Shakespeare engaged with the subject in his last play. Now four hundred years later, Rakata, Madrid's premier young classical company, re-imagine this play from a Spanish perspective, with the thrilling clarity they bring to their productions of Spanish Golden Age work.

Synopsis

King Henry VIII, convinced that his marriage to Katherine of Aragon is unlawful, seeks permission from Rome for a divorce. In spite of the machinations of the scheming Cardinal Wolsey, King Henry decides to marry Anne Boleyn. As the King grows closer to his other advisors, and Wolsey’s underhand deeds come to light, the Cardinal falls from favour, and a new chapter in Britain’s religious history begins.

Running time: 119 mins