Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker

By Andrew Hurrell

The year is 1483, and the Yorkists have seemingly triumphed in the Wars of the Roses, a decades-long fight for the throne between two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty. The last Lancastrian heir is the exiled nobody, Henry Tudor - and his mother wants him back. When cooperative Edward IV dies suddenly, Lady Margaret Beaufort must increase her efforts to get her son home, and if she sticks to her ambition, win him the throne. Beaufort dramatises the events of 1483-1485, from the roots of the Buckingham Rebellion to the fateful Battle of Bosworth.

4th - 7th of December 2024

The Drama Studio, Sheffield

PRODUCTION TEAM

Co-Director - Andrew Hurrell

Co-Director -Abbie Wright

Production Manager - Autumn Ten Dam

Producer - Leila Arbabi

CAST LIST

Margaret Beaufort - Tilly Harradine

Thomas Stanley - Imogen Kerr

Richard III - Jamie Egan

Buckingham - James Platt

Queen Elizabeth - Ella Hulford

Henry Tudor/Rivers - Max Preston

Hastings/Jasper - David Osamudiamen

Reginald Bray - Roberto Rowinski

Anne Neville - Ava Hall

Princess Elizabeth - Iris Read

Edward IV/ Brackenbury - Elliot Tyndale-Biscoe

Edward V/Grey/Caerleon - Becks Guess

Katherine/Bannaster - Izzi Hanson-Abbott

Shrewsbury/Shaa - Freda Sambrook

CREW LIST

Stage Manager - Jamie McCollin

Deputy Stage Manager - Phoebe Cookson

Assistant Stage Manager - Charlotte Evans

Acting ASM - Mason Lugh

Costume Designer - Alicia Fitzwilliams

Assistant Set/Costume - Dewi Kite

Lighting Designer - Dominic Winter

Sound Designer - Alfie Goodman

General Crew - Kayleigh Albaya

General Crew - Kirsty Lucas

Reviews!

Forge Press

"From the start, the tone was set well with the simple but effective set design. A screen on the stage displayed the month and year certain events took place, with the purpose that the audience could follow along easily. In particular, I appreciated the choice of writing in terms of mixing modern English with the more complicated old ways of speaking. It led to a good balance of poetic lines delivered wonderfully, while still being comprehensible.

This show was also filled with some amazing performances. Margaret, played by Tilly Harradine, was a viciously ambitious, emotional, clever, and powerful character. If I were to compare her to another well-known character, it would be Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. And I’m always thrilled to see a powerful female character played well. I could almost feel her frustration in her monologues, and her reunion with Henry at the end made me pretty emotional."

Full Review - Forge Press

SUPAS

"From the start, the tone was set well with the simple but effective set design. A screen on the stage displayed the month and year certain events took place, with the purpose that the audience could follow along easily. In particular, I appreciated the choice of writing in terms of mixing modern English with the more complicated old ways of speaking. It led to a good balance of poetic lines delivered wonderfully, while still being comprehensible.

This show was also filled with some amazing performances. Margaret, played by Tilly Harradine, was a viciously ambitious, emotional, clever, and powerful character. If I were to compare her to another well-known character, it would be Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. And I’m always thrilled to see a powerful female character played well. I could almost feel her frustration in her monologues, and her reunion with Henry at the end made me pretty emotional."

Read the Full Review Here!