Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen - Union Theatre - Review

In a time whilst some may argue that London is simply flooded with jukebox bops, screen to stage adaptations and revivals, new and original musicals are deservedly celebrated as breaths of fresh air, injecting a taste of something new on the horizon and ‘Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen’, having spent its recent and short London run nestled under the Southwark and Waterloo arches of the Union Theatre, may hear the bright lights of bigger venues calling its name sometime soon.

With British history so laden with stories of rivalry, religion, politics and romance, it is really no surprise that musical writers have found inspiration in the pages of history books. Whilst the famous ‘Six’ may focus on the relatively untold stories of the six wives of Henry VIII, ‘Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen’ looks at the generation after them and takes a deep dive in the story of Lady Jane Grey, who ruled as the Queen of England, Ireland and France for just nine short days before being imprisoned within the Tower of London by the infamously violent Mary who later sentenced Jane, her own cousin, to death by beheading.

With a running time of just over 2 hours including the interval and 26 musical numbers, Jane is taken from the history book and propelled into reality, given the depth, heart and story that transforms her into much more than her title of ‘The Nine Day Queen’. Played by Anna Unwin (who also penned the piece alongside Gareth Hides), we see Jane at just 17 years old as a victim of a great political mistake. Duke of Northumberland, played by Constantine Andronikou, served as virtual ruler whilst the young kid Edward was a minor. But when Edward falls deadly ill, Northumberland concocts a plan to change the royal will and move the country towards reformation by placing a protestant queen upon the throne instead of the catholic next in line Mary (Cezarah Bonner). He declares Mary illegitimate, and with the help of Lord Henry Grey (Gareth Hides), marries his son Guildford (Johnie Benson) to Henry’s daughter Jane, ultimately sealing the many to the fate of death for committing treason.

Unwin, armed with her roof raising powerhouse vocals, is at the heart of the piece. Gone are the days when history painted Jane as simply a short sentence, named queen, imprisoned, killed. Here she is strong, driven, determined and inspiring. Just a child herself, she is forced into an arranged marriage, forced to be queen and forced into imprisonment within the tower, a tool in the political warfare that gave Mary her Bloody title. As one musical number states, Jane’s only crime was the crown she never wore, none of the arrangement was her choice, and the choices of others build her ultimate downfall. But through it all, Jane holds her head up and stays valiantly true to her faith. She sees a bright future, and her belief guides her every decision. Whilst others around her bend to the will of Mary, declaring themselves catholic to save their necks from the block, Jane is willing to die for what she believes in. It’s a powerful message told in a beautiful and heartfelt manner.

Whilst you would be forgiven for thinking that this story would be two acts focussing only on the power of faith in a battle with political power, a downtrodden back and forth between one side of the argument and the other, but you would be mistaken. Cleverly inserted within the drama and rivalry are wonderful jolts of comedy, from Andronikou’s energetic duke celebrating his puppet king Edward (played by a literal wonderfully charming puppet) and puppet queen Jane as he pulls the strings, and Benson’s boy band pin up style Guildford, Jane’s dim but loving and kind husband, becoming over excited at the idea of living in the palace, there are moments of light and joy throughout.

Gareth Hides plays multiple roles throughout including a kindly priest who helps Jane and the also sentenced to death Guildford to have the chance to say goodbye and Jane’s father Henry, who packs an emotional punch as he is forced to make difficult decisions, leaving him questioning his ability as both a member of the royal court and as a father to Jane. Cezarah Bonner earns great applause throughout for her vocal performance as she gives Mary more depth than just the bloody nickname. She battled for what was hers, the throne, and felt compelled to use violence to show her power, with this musical giving her a heart showing her regret in sentencing her own cousin to death.

With 26 songs, there are a number of standout moments including the comical ‘Puppet King’ and ‘Let’s make the most of this’, alongside the powerful ‘Turn it around’, performed by Unwin, which is thankfully available to stream. Song styles vary throughout, from upbeat pop inspired numbers to the powerful ballads that give each character a chance to truly explore their feelings and the reasoning behind their decisions.

Looking towards the future, I thoroughly believe that a larger stage with a larger ensemble that could really send Unwin and Hides story alongside David Gibson’s musical direction to bold and beautiful heights is on the horizon. Jane’s story is one that truly deserves to be told, for she was so much more than a nine-day queen. Those around her may have guided her story and effectively signed her death warrant, but she knew what she believed in, and that was her driving force.