Review: THE MIRROR AND THE LIGHT, Gielgud Theatre

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

The story of The Mirror and the Light is a spectacularly fascinating display of English history and something that really comes alive on the stage. 

This final instalment of the Wolf Hall series follows the final chapter in the Thomas Cromwell story, originally written by Hilary Mantel. In this conclusive chapter, we start by seeing Cromwell in solitary confinement, which can easily be interpreted as his prison sentence before his execution. After a series of accusations are brought against him, we are transported into a flashback sequence and see the inevitable and well-known downfall of Cromwell. This show has everything from betrayal, marriage, love, children and even a little sing song, which is very pleasing to hear. 

The cast for this performance are phenomenal, which comes as no surprise when you see the big names such as Nicholas Boulton, Ben Miles and Nathaniel Parker. The regality and pure drama of this show demands a cast of well-trained performers and this is definitely delivered. 

The lighting (by Jessica Hung Han Yun) and the costume design (by Christopher Oram) adds so much depth and really brings the show together. Period dramas have always been popular when translated onto the screen and sometimes it can be hard to imagine how they might translate and exist on the stage. With the use of sharp and simple lighting to move the story along and highlight key characters and moments, the audience is able to follow along easily. Though multi-roling is used throughout, the costume design allows audiences to make easy connections from character to character so as to not get lost. Remarkably done. 

Interestingly, though this is the third instalment to a series, you don’t necessarily need to watch the first two to follow the story. Yes, there are references to major characters that previously played a key role in the telling of the story. But despite their physical absence, the episodic style isolates particular aspects of the story. They also have a few moments of subtle memory-jogging for the audience, meaning that the main aspect to a character is summed up in a sentence or two, aiding us further. 

This production is fantastic for you history nuts out there. Presenting history on the stage can always be hit or miss, mainly because dramatising history can sometimes appear as insensitive or have to make certain things add to the dramatic effect of the piece. Though most of us do not have a strong understanding of the life of Thomas Cromwell and his rise and fall in Henry VIII court, it is entirely believable that everything that happened in the show could have happened all those years ago. The efficacy of this is that audiences can believe in their history and are given a real sense of what life was like back then. 

Even the addition of the gothic aspects of the ghosts of Cromwell’s past feels real, in a strange sense. We often associate stories of troubled royalty and nobility with gothic themes. We see them in Shakespearean plays such as Macbeth and Dickensian novels such as A Christmas Carol. The ghosts are a fascinating layer to this story and one that we wholeheartedly believe works for the show.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of The Mirror and the Light is a truly enchanting adaptation with a strong cast and brilliant storytelling. 

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Megan Webb

The Mirror and the Light plays at the Gielgud Theatre until 23 January 2022. To book tickets, please click here.