by Robert Bolt
seen at the Chichester Festival Theatre on 1 February 2025
Jonathan Church directs Martin Shaw as Sir Thomas More in this revival of Robert Bolt's 1960 play, with Edward Bennett as Thomas Cromwell and Gary Wilmot as the Common Man.
The play concerns the last years of Thomas More's life, concentrating on his promotion to be Lord Chancellor after Cardinal Wolsey's downfall, and his subsequent crisis of conscience over the king's 'great matter' (his proposed divorce and remarriage), brought to a climax when king Henry VIII declares himself Supreme Head of the Church of England and requires his subjects to swear the Oath of Supremacy. More attempts to avoid the issue by maintaining a strict silence on the matter, relying on the king's assurances of protection given in earlier days, but he is ultimately condemned through the perjury of a witness, and inevitably executed.
The story is by now familiar after decades of exposure to Tudor politics in novels, films and TV series, and this version of it alone may possibly have encouraged the fashion, particularly when it was turned into a successful film starring Paul Scofield in 1966 (he had originated the role on stage). The exposition is important, however, and it is still salutary to hear the ringing words of conviction about religious faith, the importance of law, and the dangers of special pleading or of setting expediency above strict adherence to legal principle. Martin Shaw delivered the lines with power and conviction, ensuring that More's integrity remains utterly convincing, as it must for the play to work.
Gary Wilmot portrays the Common Man (not present in the film), a bridge between the high and mighty figures of Tudor politics and the modern audience; frequently he addresses the audience directly, providing both narrative details and some comic relief, while taking part in proceedings as servant, boatman, jailer, juryman, and finally executioner. It's a strange device, but a welcome contrast to the excessive high-mindedness of More's stand.
It is fascinating to see this play in the light of Hilary Mantel's trilogy of novels about Thomas Cromwell, and their stage and television adaptations, since in Wolf Hall Thomas More is by no means a sympathetic character; whereas here he is the hero of the piece, a man of utmost integrity brought down by the determination of others who are corruptible. The deviousness of Cromwell is perhaps tinged with knowledge of Mantel's portrait, rather than being simply villainous - but if anything this adds richness to the whole enterprise as it places More in a context of real people rather than cardboard figures. Interestingly also, More's own failings may now seem more obvious through our awareness that he could be characterised in a different way. His concern to protect his family by refusing to explain to them what he is doing is all very well in legal terms, but there is also a heartlessness there, and he is all too obviously the authoritarian patriarch in his household.
The revival was well worth seeing; the conflict of conscience and high politics has not gone away, even if it seems hardly possible in today's climate that such stands as More's would be so prominently taken.
