Bring Up the Bodies transports you back to the year of 1535. With Thomas Cromwell at his side, Henry VIII is happily married to his new wife, Anne Boleyn, and his coffers brim with money as the wealth of the church begins to be dismantled. Trouble is never far, however, and as a male heir fails to appear, and as the might of Catholic Europe is barely kept at bay through the uneasy rivalry between France and Spain, Cromwell must choose a side as internal strife between the house of Boleyn and Howard threatens not just his position, but his life.
Bring Up the Bodies brings to life the second of Hilary Mantel’s Man-Booker Price-winning novels adapted by Mike Poulton. Running alongside Wolf Hall, the production transfers to the West End’s Aldwych Theatre after a critically acclaimed run at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Bring Up The Bodies is a bloody tale of courtly vice, where truth and lies are as malleable as those who espouse them. Thomas Cromwell, played to perfection by Ben Miles, is a capable mercenary to his enemies and a loyal scholar to his friends, but who is who? With Nathanial Parker returning as Henry VIII, on Bring Up the Bodies theatre breaks expect an incredible re-presentation of cutthroat Tudor England.
Create the perfect theatre break in London by combining this bloody show with a comfortable stay at a top hotel of your choice. Plus, with this fantastic package you'll also have the opportunity to throw in discounted rail travel.
"Exhilarating stage-craft and masterly narrative" *****, Paul Taylor, The Independent
"The success lies in the fact that we feel this is both a piece of living history and a guide to the early modern world. These plays are about class, passion, conscience, religious freedom and the danger of living in a society where power goes unchecked." ****, Michael Billington, The Guardian
"Splendidly entertaining and at times deeply touching", ****, Charles Spencer, The Telegraph
• In her epilogue, Mantel details a few members of the Tudor court she omitted, including Lady Bridget Wingfield, a lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn, and Richard Page, a courtier arrested at about the time of Thomas Wyatt
• The play skirts around one of Anne Boleyn’s primary schisms with Cromwell – that money from the church’s dissolution should be used for charity, rather than be paid into the King’s coffers
• “The Great Bible, probably Henry VIII’s own copy” depicts Thomas Cromwell at the side of Henry VIII on a woodcut that every parish in Britain was required to buy in 1538
Booking early is the key to getting good cheap theatre breaks at the Aldwych Theatre, especially for Bring Up the Bodies. Restricted views towards the front of the Upper Circle aren’t a problem for those over about 5’4”, but there are clear view seats towards the rear, around row K, that are surprisingly good for budget tickets.
7.30pm show on Monday and Thursday
2pm show on Wednesday and Saturday
Running time - TBC
Booking until - 05/10/2014
This play is the sequal to Wolf Hall, which is running simultaneously at the Aldwych Theatre. You can book Wolf Hall theatre breaks at the following link: Wolf Hall theatre breaks
If you would like to book both shows, please call us on 01482 221 256.
Please note, bronze tickets may have a restricted view.