NEW YORK—One has a choice of two versions of “Wolf Hall,” including the six-part TV version on public television. But of interest here is the two-part theatrical version now showing on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater.
This choice has been adapted by Mike Poulton from Hilary Mantel’s best-selling books and has been brought here via the Royal Shakespeare Company of Great Britain.
Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the two parts, “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies,” are dark, intense, and thrilling.
The story hinges on three major characters: King Henry VIII (Nathaniel Parker), Anne Boleyn (Lydia Leonard), and Thomas Cromwell (Ben Miles).
King Henry has a penchant for being violently attracted to women. He rids himself of these when a new filly takes his fancy. In this case, it is Anne Boleyn who is drawing Henry away from Katherine of Aragon (Lucy Briers), his wife of 18 years.
The third dominant figure is Thomas Cromwell, who, although of low birth, has risen over the years to become a lawyer and ultimately the king’s adviser.
