Henry VIII

For the first time since its reconstruction Shakespeare's Globe presents the rarely performed historical play, Henry VIII, which destroyed a previous incarnation of the theatre almost 400 years ago. On 29th June 1613 a cannon fired from the attic as a special effect missed its target of the Thames, instead landing on the Globe's thatched roof and the place went up in flames. Fingers crossed that all goes well for this modern day reprisal of the play about the power struggle between Henry's First Minister, Cardinal Wolsey, and Katherine of Aragon. Famous in its day for the visual pageant of masques and royal ceremony, Henry VIII is one of Shakespeare's most sumptuous and spectacular plays. The action centres on the young, married and charismatic king who will stop at nothing to make Ann Bullen (Anne Boleyn) his mistress. Dominic Rowan, who recently performed in the West End production of The Misanthrope, plays the iconic Tudor King with 'Spooks' actress Miranda Raison as his second wife Anne Boleyn. Miranda is billed to return to the Globe to play Anne again later in the summer, from 24th July, in Howard Brenton's new play, Anne Boleyn. The two interpretations couldn't be more marked in their contrasting characterisations of the Boleyn girl who became queen.