“You could say the same about me… And you probably do”. That
cutting end to a sentence uttered by the Sir Thomas Cromwell of the BBC2
adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” was delivered with such poise and
timing by Mark Rylance that it felt like I had listened to an ancient proverb. The
scene, which saw Cromwell standing away from the Royal Court and being treated
like the town gossip by Jane Boleyn, encapsulates the nature of all politics. It is a good lesson: the person whose nature it is to collude with you demonstrates that the traits
of a person who is likely to conspire against you.
Last night saw the first episode of “Wolf Hall”. This
historical drama made authenticity part of its marketing and a lot of
historians were involved in the process to bring Hilary Mantel’s two novels, “Wolf
Hall” and “Bringing up the Bodies” to the small screen. When it comes to period
fiction, the Tudors have received the lions share, especially during the reigns
of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. However, Hilary Mantel’s work definitely
qualifies as an original take on the era in many respects. She chooses to view
her tale through the eyes of an individual who is nearly always depicted as a
Machiavellian villain: Sir Thomas Cromwell. However, don’t expect a sneering
Francis Urquhart type politician who wins his audience over by revelling in his
cunning and cleverness. Mantel’s Cromwell is a truly sympathetic character. By
taking this highly unconventional tactic, we are provided with a genuinely
different perspective on the Tudor court, its various characters and the
politics of Henry VIII. The term “game-changer” has become a buzzword in the
promotion of this current golden age of drama, often attributed to US series
like “True Detectives”, however, with this interpretation of Tudor life I believe
it could be applied with confidence.
