Wolf Hall discussion continuation thread

[AKnickerfulOfMenace]

Continuing the thread from Telly Addicts, just in time for episode 4

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/2288038-Damian-Lewis-fans-line-up-for-Wolf-Hall-tonight?msgid=52500336#52500336

I worry about Anne. (Despite knowing what happened to her. Or because? )

She seems very stressed and brittle.

She was desired and wanted and able to call the shots, but now she has to do the pick me dance while Henry's eye wanders.

In the novel Mary has a big scene where Anne finds out she has married William Stafford.

She storms around her chamber grabbing all her stuff before she's thrown out, all the while having a good rant and cursing up a storm about her awful family. Jane Seymour helps her pack and TC walks in on the whole thing - he helps too, I think.

Trills totally agree.
She knows she has to do one thing to be safe and it does not happen for her. Imagine the pressure. She also is no fool, she knows what happens to people who disappoint Henry.
She knows he is her only real protector and sees him losing interest while becoming very interested indeed in Jane S. How terrifying and how explainable her encouraging attention from the men of the court. However I believe that had that reason to remove her been impossible, another would have been invented.
Henry wanted her gone. Therefore she was.

More Tudors on BBC4 right now, docu about Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden. With the added appeal of slightly dishevelled scarf wearing Michael Wood...like an older Simon Reeve. Nice.

Thanks Ada. I don't remember that scene at all for some reason.

Just caught up. Brilliant.

I think I said on them ther thread, but the Anne Boleyn programme that was on a few weeks ago said a few interesting things about the situation. David Starkey said that H8 was essentially a megalomaniac - he believed whatever was most convenient to him at the time. It was convenient that there were rumours around Anne so he used it as an excuse to get rid of her.

Another historian said that a Queen had to walk a very fine line - essentially one of the Queen's roles was to flirt with courtiers, they would show her their devotion (to ingratiate themselves) and she would encourage it through flirtation. They said that's probably how the conversation with her remark about another man wishing to fill dead men's shoes (ie if the King were dead you'd like to marry me) came about.

watched episode 4 yesterday.

Just brilliant.

Ill be bereft when this series has finished

any ideas if BBc are doing anything else Tudor related in the future?
great thread here too- so interesting

I'd like it if the BBC covered a different-but-nearby time period.

The White Queen was of course a soap opera with the hat thing and the wrong kind of horses, but it got me looking up characters who I had only previously heard of on the edge of things.

I've heard rumours they'll be doing The Mirror and the Light as well.

Yes, Countess, the Radio Times reported that the BBC are likely to commission The Mirror and the Light. How could they not after this success?

Any idea when the book is due out?

Hi frankel, you mention an Anne Boleyn programme from a few weeks ago. Do you happen to remember what it was called? Very interested as love anything AB related.

This is the programme: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn. Unfortunately it looks like it is no longer on iplayer. It might be on YouTube though.

Love reading people's well-informed comments on here, particularly Countess's post about the hats - I don't even notice things like that.

Am still quite enjoying it, but ever since someone in the previous thread said that Mark Rylance was channelling Ted from the Fast Show, I really can't get that out of my head: all I see is Ted.

Also, while acknowledging Rylance's many fine qualities as an actor, I think his face is just too kind and too sad for Cromwell. I know Mantel paints him sympathetically but he is still a pragmatist. And a ruthless one at that, I think.

Mark Rylance on Radio 4 Desert Island Discs now!

(First disc is some strange jazz thing...)

Oooh - rushes off to listen.

just a little more enamoured now...

Quite an odd choice of music - he doesn't give much away, does he?

I did not realise that he had lived in USA until he was 18. Totally explains his accent for me.

I liked the Paul Brady song...

You're right about him not giving much away - don't feel we got to know the real him. Then again, I guess he should only give away as much as he is comfortable with, same as any of us.

A bit off the current conversion and let me know if I should really start a new thread but I'm planning a trip to London to meet a friend soon and I was wondering what recommendations you had for 'Wolf Hall' related things to see.

We went to the Tower of London last time we met to see the poppies and did go inside so am looking for somewhere else. I see the V&A museum have the 'Wolsey Angels' so that might be worth a visit. Anything else?

I have been watching but it is very grim and I switched off when TM went to put his head down. watch it and it is excellent but quite disturbing.

seagull. From ^ helpful poster up there a bit^^

Add message | Report | Message poster Travelledtheworld Thu 12-Feb-15 20:02:34
For those of you who think you might drag your hapless offspring round National Trust Properties during half term......here are some Wolf Hall locations to feed your obsession.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/

Seagull - National Portrait Gallery a must to see all the portraits of the Tudors. Plus Hampton Court maybe?

seagull - the wayward 'off thread' bits of this have been wonderful.

I would also second the National Portrait Gallery - it's an amazing place to visit, whatever your interest.