No one can stop talking about 1536, a production by up-and-coming playwright Ava Pickett. After a phenomenal debut run at the Almeida Theatre, 1536 is now playing at the Ambassadors Theatre until the beginning of August.
1536 is set during the reign of Henry VIII and focuses on the aftermath of the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Specifically, the plot chronicles how the royal court's actions have untold consequences for the ordinary public through a series of funny, quick-witted and raucous conversations between three women living in rural Essex.
Considering the heart of the action, namely Anne's murder, takes place hundreds of miles from Essex, the pastoral setting of the play might seem confusing at first. Additionally, we are thrown into a tornado of gossip surrounding the impending execution which initially appears frivolous and light-hearted, far more like a battle of razor-sharp wits and humour than the dissection of a heavy topic. However, as conversations deepen between our main players, Jane, Anna and Mariella, they expose how the actions of the monarchy can have tangible and devastating effects through every level of society. “Kings don't kill their wives alright? It's not – it just don't happen. It doesn't.” But as the characters slowly begin to realise, the unthinkable really has happened and is starting to effect their lives too.
The shifting mood of Essex society threatens the women's friendship, as barbarism and misogyny become outwardly normalised by the behaviour of the monarchy. We see the three women struggle as they are challenged with maintaining their bond as they are increasingly separated by looming societal decay. Loyalty, betrayal, and the role of gender define this seminal play, leading us to ask how female solidarity can survive in an increasingly patriarchal reality.
Playwright Ava Pickett is a self-proclaimed Anna Boleyn obsessive and feels just as strongly about the Tudor period more broadly, so expect a historical accurate piece with an eerily modern tone for this performance. 1536 earned Ava the coveted Genesis Almeida's Writers' Programme Award and subsequently, the Suzanne Smith Blackburn Prize. From there, the critical acclaim has only continued and is solidified in the play's current home at the Ambassadors Theatre.
The play is showing at London's Ambassadors Theatre Monday to Saturday, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays, running until 1st August, 2026. We can't wait to see what comes next for 1536 and for Ava Pickett herself, she's certainly one to watch.