Theatreguide.London
www.theatreguide.london
Mary
Hampstead
Theatre Autumn 2022
Mary by Rona Munro is an edgy two-scene ninety-minute political thriller in which the same three characters clash in sharp, occasionally witty contemporary language about Mary Queen of Scotland.
It is April 1567 and James Melville (Douglas Henshall), the loyal advisor to the Queen, wants the gates of Holyrood castle opened so Mary can travel to Stirling, out of the reach of various lords who want to control her.
He finds Thompson (Brian Vernel), the man in charge of the gates, lying blooded from a beating by Lord Bothwell, a man who has that year murdered Mary’s husband and intends to use Mary to increase his power.
Agnes (Rona Morison), a serving woman, is brought to clean him up so as not to frighten Mary. Their arguments reveal fractures among the powerful men that occupy the castle. When Agnes puts the divisions down to religion, James tells her 'money That’s their religion. Money and murder.'
The second and longer scene, two months later, also takes place in Holyrood castle when Melville is no longer a powerful figure and Thomson, having proved his worth to other men of wealth, is deputed to persuade Melville to sign a document already signed by many Lords that demands 'Mary Stuart should abdicate her throne and let her son rule Scotland instead.'
Melville, now a more defeated figure, initially resists, saying 'If these gentlemen can twist their conscience to this then I hope they can sleep well.'
Between the pair of them, we hear what took place when in April the gates were opened to allow a small company to leave with Mary. They agree that Bothwell with a larger military force met them and took them to Dunbar. What took place there is an object of dispute.
Thompson adds the temptations of status and power to the reasons why Melville should sign and brings in Agnes to offer 'a woman's insight'.
He tries to suggest Mary went willingly to Dunbar with the murderer of her husband. whom she slept with and married. But the conversation stirs up terrible memories for Melville and Agnes who are convinced that what took place was the horrific rape and sexual abuse of the Queen by powerful men.
Of course, none of that can appear officially, though it leaves Melville a broken man haunted by shame and guilt that he didn't intervene.
This riveting intense play, given a very tight well-performed production, is one of the finest shows I’ve seen this year.
It speaks not simply in Rona Munro’s words of how 'any woman can be manipulated, abused and terrorised by sexual violence' but also 'of why decent, caring, moral men … still tolerate and enable that violence.'
In the closing moments of the play, as numerous women are banging on the doors demanding to be let in with cries of 'no more lies', we are given a brief moving glimpse of Melville’s memory of Mary (Meg Watson) asking him for help he failed to give.
Keith
McKenna
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Review of Mary - Hampstead Theatre 2022