A bold reinterpretation: The Ballad of Lady Bessy review

It is rare to find a historical play that offers a bold reinterpretation of a familiar subject while remaining accessible to a lay audience. It was a pleasure then to see The Ballad of Lady Bessy, a new play written and directed by David Fletcher, a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Warwick.

In this compelling tale of the life and times of Elizabeth of York, women take centre stage as shrewd political operators and power-brokers. It is a welcome reinterpretation of a story in which women have all too often been presented as mild and meek observers.

Women take centre-stage as shrewd political operators and power-brokers

We first meet Elizabeth, or Lady Bessy as she later comes to be known, near the time of her father Edward IV’s death. Begrudgingly betrothed to the Dauphin, Bessy is a spirited and intelligent woman who understands power politics better than most. Following her father’s death, Bessy and her mother, Elizabeth Woodville, plot and scheme to hold onto the throne. In tense stand-offs, the duo clashes over the lengths they will go and the means they will deploy to hold onto power. Woodville is driven to despair by the imprisonment of her sons, Edward V and Richard of York, in the Tower. Descending into panic, though never quite losing her power-hungry nature, the formidable Woodville comes face-to-face with her daughter, who is of a pragmatic, if feisty, nature. After being left disgusted by rumours that her uncle, King Richard III, wants to marry her, Bessy goes to live with the Stanleys. It is here that she meets Lady Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry Tudor, herself a shrewd and no-nonsense political operator. Together, Lady Margaret and Bessy work together to aid Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, in battle. In the play’s concluding scenes, Henry and Bessy marry and the play’s hero is crowned Queen.

The cast are uniformly excellent, making it hard to single out any one individual to praise. Elizabeth Morris has a mesmerising presence as the play’s titular character, moving effortlessly between monologue and dialogue in her scenes. Sue Moore as the formidable Lady Margaret Beaufort delivers withering one-lines with perfect comic timing. Susie May Lynch gives a compelling performance as Queen Elizabeth Woodville, a complex character who simultaneously invokes our sympathy and disdain. Robert Lowe offers the audience a fascinating glimpse into the character of Edward IV, and Bryan Ferriman is a commanding presence as Archbishop Bouchier, while Pete Meredith is excellent in his scenes as Henry Tudor.

Bessy is a spirited and intelligent woman who understands power politics better than most

Special mention must also go to the backstage crew. The intimate space of the Loft Theatre is put to good use, owing no doubt to the talents of those involved behind the scenes. The set-design, while minimalist, is highly effective in ensuring that the audience can easily understand the complicated family histories of the Houses of York and Lancaster. Meanwhile the music, composed and performed by Jonathan Fletcher, lends a real atmosphere to the piece.

My only complaint is that it was all over too soon. Fletcher has a talent for writing and directing plays that take a sideways look at important historical events, having previously written Tongues of Fire, centring on the meeting between Joseph of Arimathea and Pontius Pilate. With any luck, there will be another play on the way soon!