1536 review – three Tudor friends throw sharp light on Anne Boleyn’s execution

Almeida, London Ava Pickett’s bold debut shows how a trio of ordinary women in rural Essex learn of the queen’s death, and speaks clearly to our own ageAva Pickett’s debut play, a product of the Almeida’s new writing scheme, comes laden with accolades including the Susan Smith Blackburn prize. All the fuss is justified. Set against the impending execution of Anne Boleyn, 1536 is an effortlessly funny, bold and ballsy play, which asks the question: just how much have things really changed for women today?While the historical backdrop is dramatic, this is largely a play of small and arresting moments. Max Jones’s stark set – full of long lush grass and empty horizons – never changes. We’re in a forgotten field in Essex, where three female friends meet, talk, prod and tease each other. The long grass blows and the sky, thanks to Jack Knowles’ emotive lighting, seems to throb with the promise of other, grander lives playing out somewhere far away. Continue reading...

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