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Theatre listings > A Man For All Seasons. Playwright - Robert Bolt. Director - Richard Baron. Set and Costume Designer - Edward Lipscomb.. Lighting Designer - Jeanine Davies. Company - Pitlochry Festival Theatre Company Website. Cast - here . Venue - Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Dates -Runs in rep from 29 April to 21 Oct, details here . Run Time - 2 hours 40 minutes with one interval Reviewer - Vivien Devlin. Debated with calm composure. I suspect the decision to stage a revival of A Man for All Seasons was taken long before the date was set for the General Election and also months before the Pope's death and the marriage of Charles and Camilla, with all the media controversy surrounding their succession to the throne. Robert Bolt's play, set in the 16th century court of Henry VIII, explores the dynamic relationship between the crown, the church and the state. Written first as a radio play in the early 1950s at the height of the Cold War, it was seen as an underlying metaphor for the McCarthy era in the United States. Timeless and topical, the play is a morality tale about political power and defending one's principles according to personal conscience. Henry VIII wants to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon but the Pope refuses to condone an annulment. The King seeks the approval of Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor, who is a man of principle and reason. More is placed in a difficult position between standing up for his beliefs but risk the wrath of a corrupt King fond of executing people for treason. The play begins with The Common Man, who like Shakespeare's Chorus, acts as a narrator while the audience is the jury as we listen to the debate. The main protagonists are five strong-minded men all in pursuit of power: the tall and proud Sir Thomas More, played by Dougal Lee, the gentle Cardinal Wolsey, - who it is believed "wanted to be Pope, Bishop of Rome", - More's friend and advisor, The Duke of Norfolk, the political pawn Thomas Cromwell - played like a sly fox by Robin Harvey Edwards, and a youthful, bombastic King Henry, Hywel Morgan, dressed elaborately in ermine and velvet. The reason for a divorce is because Henry wants a son. "The King can't die without an heir. England needs an heir" is his argument. The action takes place between More's house in Chelsea, Wolsey's apartment at Richmond and Hampton Court, travelling by boat up and down the Thames. The glistening moonlit river and London skyline dominate the economical scene-changing chequer board set. Centre stage is Sir Thomas, played rather disconcertingly like a cross between Basil Faulty and Jeremy Paxman: obstinate, determined and passionately individualistic. As a man of law, he abides by facts and refuses to take an oath to affirm the King's supremacy of the Church of England. His friends support his views. "Crank he may be, traitor he is not". The King and Cromwell may not agree. A secondary plot line involves More's wife, Alice, and his daughter Meg whose comfortable lifestyle rises and falls along with More's status. A sea of conspiracy and corruption floods in waves around him as Cromwell transforms from humble secretary to majestic statesman. Expect eloquent, poetic language of Shakespearian quality, as the ethics surrounding private conscience and public duty are debated with calm composure like a political game of chess. ŠVivien Devlin, 24 May, 2005 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast - The Common Man - Dennis Conlon, Sir Thomas More - Dougal Lee, Richard Rich - Dominic Brewer, Duke of Norfolk - Jonathan Coote, Lady Alice Moore - Karen Davies, Lady Margaret Moore - Kezia Burrows, Cardinal Wolsey - Richard Addison, Thomas Cromwell - Robin Harvey Edwards, Signor Chapuys - Martyn James, William Roper - Stewart Cairns, King Henry VIII - Hywel Morgan and Thomas Cramner - Hywel Morgan Dates of Pitlochry Festival Theatre's production of A Man For All Seasons. Runs in rep from 29 April to 21 Oct. 29 April at 8pm, 30 April at 2pm & 8pm. 6 May at 8pm, 7 May* at 2pm, 14 May* at 8pm, 20 May at 8pm, 24 May at 8pm, 24 May at 8pm, 30 May at 8pm. 4 June* at 2pm, 9 June at 8pm, 14 June at 8pm, 15 June* at 2pm, 17 June at 8pm, 23 June at 8pm. 2 July* at 2pm, 7 July at 8pm, 15 July at 8pm, 18 July at 8pm, 23 July* at 2pm, 28 July at 8pm. 4 Aug at 8pm, 5 Aug* at 2pm, 11 Aug at 8pm, 20 Aug* at 8pm. 1 Sep at 8pm, 10 Sep* at 2pm, 17 Sep* at 8pm, 20 Sept at 8pm, 21 Sept* at 2pm, 29 Sept at 8pm. 5 Oct* at 8pm. 13 Oct at 8pm and final performance on 21 Oct at 8pm. Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Theatre listings >
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