Exploring the personality of England’s most fascinating monarch
Alma Theatre Bristol are proud to present the amazing portrayal of Henry VIII in - The Servant of the Seat.
Henry VIII spends his days shut away in his chambers, brooding. He is ill, paranoid and grossly overweight, so much so that he can’t even wipe his own royal backside. Instead, this most honoured - and frequent - duty falls to The Groom of the Stool, Sir Anthony Denny, Henry’s most trusted confidant. Everyone sees that Henry’s death is close - except, that is, Henry himself.
And this is a worse problem for Denny than the King’s inclement bowels; Henry needs to be persuaded to put his house in order and ensure a peaceful succession for his young son. In short, some vexatious Lords need to be relieved of their heads; if not, trouble looms for England and for Denny. But convincing Henry to act also means persuading him to accept his own impending death and how does one persuade a king who desires immortality of that? Especially when to even imagine Henry’s death is treason and treason means the block...
The Servant of the Seat is a new play that seeks to explore the personality of one of England’s most fascinating and iconic monarchs. Directed by Ed Browning and featuring an experienced and talented cast, it is a story of the decline of ultimate power, of ageing and mortality, of friendship, loyalty, duty and of the masks those in power are forced to wear. And, of course, it presents Henry VIII in a way in which he hasn’t been seen before...
Distant Mirror is a new theatre company, based in Bristol, that is focused on presenting well-known (and lesser known) figures from history in new, different and, occasionally, utterly fictitious ways.
Concessions are available from £8.00.
