The Rise and Fall of a King

So this weekend I spent an evening at the National Theatre to see a preview of a contemporary performance of Edward II.

Most people are familiar with the history plays by Shakespeare, but they are not often aware of his predecessor Christopher Marlowe - probably better know for being stabbed above the eye than for his plays.

So who is Edward II and what is the play about? Well Edward II was a Plantagenet king of England who was married to Queen Isabella. On his coronation, Edward decides to bring back his friend and male lover Gaveston from exile. This infuriates the Barons and the Queen who feel threatened by Gaveston and the influence he holds over the King, so they arrange to kill Gaveston which ultimately leads to civil war. 

It's a far cry from the comedies and romances we associate with the likes of Shakespeare, but this contemporary production by Joe Hill-Gibbins marries suspense with light humour - despite it being one of the darkest and most corrupt periods of English history.

A mash up of medieval and modern, we see Warwick take phone calls in full battle armour whilst other characters are followed like reality TV stars around the back of the stage with a camera and projected on screens for the audience. I particularly loved the pre-recorded scene of Spencer and Baldock wandering through the corridors of the National as they attempt to find Gaveston and seek favours with the King. I loved the costumes! They were beautifully made and when the play finishes I will happily give all the Queen's outfits a good home. 

Although the play felt slightly long and sometimes the use of the camera was at times overused, but there's no denying that the acting was brilliant. John Heffernan, Vanessa Kirby and Kyle Soller were all sublime and well cast, but Bettry's Jones stole the last few scenes as the newly crowned Edward III.

My faith in good theatre has been restored recently and every production I have seen this year has continued to build on this. The last of the sunshine is on its way, but theatre just got hot. To book tickets visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.