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Original poster

...to find Wolf Hall really hard going

211 replies

catslave · 23/01/2015 09:49

I like a period drama, really I do - but I'm sorry to say that Wolf Hall was incredibly dull. For starters: hopping about all over the place in time, miserable, one of history's most interesting characters - Anne Boleyn - was a spoilt cow with an 'Allo 'Allo accent...

Nothing was explained properly, either, apart form the blindingly obvious. Loads of shots of Cromwell's dad being a wrong'un, in case you missed it the first 20 times, then 'Oh, I need to be an MP again' (Cromwell). Eh? When were you an MP the first time?

I 'did' the Tudors at A-level 20 years ago, so my memory of the period is ok, but the specifics are fuzzy, and there's no way I'd remember the ins and outs of Thomas Cromwell's parliamentary career. Argh! I've cancelled series link... Or is it just me?

OP posts:
Original poster
catslave · 23/01/2015 09:50

This is last night's Wolf Hall on BBC, by the way.

OP posts:
DandyHighwayman · 23/01/2015 09:50

It's just you

funnyossity · 23/01/2015 09:54

No I see what you mean. I enjoyed it but I've read the books. If I hadn't it would have been much harder to follow.

Theimpossiblegirl · 23/01/2015 09:55

I did find Anne Boleyn annoying with her Mssr Cremwell thing and it was a bit slow but I am going to stick with it as there was more good than bad.

Cumberlover76 · 23/01/2015 09:55

If you thought the TV programme was hard going try reading the book. I read alot and I found that one of the most difficult books to read and have not finished it. I know a fair bit about that period and have read similar period books, but found the way it was written so difficult it really put me off and i really wanted to read it. I thought the TV adaptation would be good, some great actors in it, but also found it a bit of a hard slog, hopefully it will get better.

Dis Hilary Mantel have input into the script of the TV, maybe it's just her? I've not read or attempted to read any of her other books.

cozietoesie · 23/01/2015 09:56

I enjoyed the feel of it - but I kept wanting to turn the birghtness up. (Unreasonable, I know, when other dramas are so stupidly lavish with candlepower - an expensive luxury in those times if I recall.)

GretnaGreen · 23/01/2015 09:57

Anne Boleyn probably did have a bit of an affected French accent, though :D

LucilleBluth · 23/01/2015 09:58

Whilst I was watching I did think that if a person didnt have any knowledge of the Tudors that it would be hard going.

I do have extensive knowledge and I enjoyed it BRAG Wink

jeee · 23/01/2015 10:01

DS (Year 8) was told to watch it by his school - they've been studying the Tudors. He assured me it was interesting. Me, I was bored and wandered off after 20 minutes.

Instituteofstudies · 23/01/2015 10:01

cozietoesie it was SO dark wasn't it? I watched on catch up on the laptop and thought it was the brightness setting on the computer that was set too low. It was like watching through sunglasses!

I couldn't handle the books. I was totally confused as to who was who, who was doing what, and when etc. I found this marginally easier but still really don't have much of a clue what's going on. I don't know if it is all the zapping back and forth in time, or whether I'm just a bit slow at working out what's going on. I'm going to read up on Cromwell and Henry VIII, to see if that helps. It's not a period I know much about, beyond the basics. I did enjoy the acting, the visuals and will carry on with it.

hiccupgirl · 23/01/2015 10:01

I have studied the period a lot and was looking forward to it though I haven't read the book. OMG it was dull and slow. So slow I wandered off and found my kindle instead. Mark Rylance is an excellent actor and was completely wasted in a role that basically asked him to do 5 different facial expressions over and over.

Won't be wasting my time with it next week.

Nancy66 · 23/01/2015 10:03

the French accent was only when she was sneering at Cromwell. the rest of the time she had an English accent.

IndridCold · 23/01/2015 10:05

I read the books and loved them, and I thought this adaptation was absolutely brilliant in how it kept the feel of the books. I did wonder how it would be for people who hadn't read them, and didn't know the history very well.

Personally, I find it a joy to have something I really had to think about for once, I'm so sick of the mindless Celebrity/ reality dross that is on TV at the moment, when mindless boring rubbish like Downton is regarded as a cultural highlight.

CoffeeandNumbers · 23/01/2015 10:05

I like a period drama, but it was very, very slow. I cancelled the series link too.

Southeastdweller · 23/01/2015 10:06

It's not just you. It's well made but as I didn't study the Tudor period and haven't read the books, I struggled to understand all what was going on. I've seen the second episode and have the same thoughts about that one, too. Going to read the books soon.

Theimpossiblegirl · 23/01/2015 10:06

I know she was being sneery, but still found her annoying. She is usually one of my favourite characters so I'm hoping she'll grown on me.
:)

ghostyslovesheep · 23/01/2015 10:07

I enjoyed it - I have read a lot over the years on Tudor history so found it easy to make sense of

I found the book as easy as weaving with cheese - bloody awful writing and overly drawn our and dull

magimedi · 23/01/2015 10:08

I loved it, so much that I watched it on Wednesday & rewatched it yesterday.

But, I have read the books (loved them) & do know about that period of history.

Without that I would be totally at sea with the whole thing.

Mark Rylance was amazing, I thought & am so looking forward to seeing him develop as Cromwell becomes more & more powerful.

AnneofCheese · 23/01/2015 10:08

You are so very wrong, I feel bad for you Grin

lem73 · 23/01/2015 10:14

I started the book and hated it the style of written so abandoned it which I hate doing. I am very interested in the Tudors though and have done plenty of reading about them. I don't think I could have got through Wednesday night's episode without that background knowledge.
It's fascinating how different writers portray Anne Boleyn in different ways. She's probably the most controversial woman in English history.
Damien Lewis was surprisingly good but not as sexy as Jonathan Rhys Meyers Grin

JADS · 23/01/2015 10:14

I watched it but struggled a bit because ds was crying and dh kept asking questions like "hasn't this been done before?", "why do we need more period dramas?", "who's that?", "why is Cromwell interesting?"

I rather liked Anne's fake French accent. She spent time living in the French court and France was considered to be the height of fashion and a hub for artists and intellectuals so mimicking all things French was probably considered a good thing. Henry VIII is known to have had a surprising high voice and I would love to see a series actually do that rather than the bluff old king thing.

RubyReins · 23/01/2015 10:15

Anne spent a lot of time at the fashionable and cosmopolitan French court and wanted everyone to know it Grin I like that she wasn't portrayed as a sympathetic and potentially tragic character (as she normally is) as I have always imagined her to be haughty, spoilt and arrogant. I believe there are historical references to her accent being a bit on the odd side.

I devoured the books and thought this was a masterclass in understated drama - the threat of the axe is ever present and I thought the casting was perfect. It does assume rather a lot of knowledge though and not necessarily the better known facts - impressed an eight year old watched it!

partypigeon · 23/01/2015 10:15

I love the books but wasn't blown away by the programme. The way HM uses language makes my toes curl with pleasure; none of that cameacross on tv. They might as well have just made it into another tudor bonkfest, it would be more fun. Going to keep watching though. There are some good creepy characters and I did think Mark Rylance is getting it right.

RubyReins · 23/01/2015 10:16

X - post JADS! Smile

senua · 23/01/2015 10:18

as I didn't study the Tudor period and haven't read the books, I struggled to understand all what was going on

Perhaps it's an impossible task. I do know the period, but not in a I-am-an-expert way, and found all the explaining was unnecessary and tedious. Other people have raved about MR's 'stillness' but I found him strangely blank and dull. He was not at all engaging as a character.
The scene with the daughter and the peacock feather wings was clunky. As soon as I saw it, I said to DH "she's a gonner." Grin