Tag: Hilary Mantel

“Henry VIII is a monster, but he’s our monster. No other nation has a king who had six wives and cut the heads off two. We’re perversely proud of Henry.” – Hilary Mantel

The world lost a true literary genius yesterday. Hilary Mantel’s style was unique. So was her imagination. Her wit was matchless. She published 17 books that received literary applause. Yet Wolf Hall Trilogy stands out as her Magnum Opus. She once said she knew Wolf Hall would be the best thing she would produce when she started writing it. Mantel became the first British writer and the first woman who won the prestigious Man Booker Prize with Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies. As we all know both books have been adapted for a BBC miniseries which I many times called “the best thing that ever happened to TV” as well as for plays produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I am privileged to have seen them both. Multiple times. That is how much I love Wolf Hall. Continue reading “In Memory of Hilary Mantel: Revisiting Henry VIII in Wolf Hall”

“Henry VIII is a monster, but he’s our monster. No other nation has a king who had six wives and cut the heads off two. We’re perversely proud of Henry.” – Hilary Mantel

Welcome to year 1535! In the most delightful deleted scene in Wolf Hall,  King Henry declares his age to the women in Thomas Cromwell’s household: “45 in June…”

Well, Henry is 531 years old today and popular as ever — to quote Damian Lewis:

“Henry, as a brand, is right up there with Coca Cola!”

I don’t think anyone can deny the recent contributions of Hilary Mantel’s brilliant work Wolf Hall & Bring up the Bodies — the books, the play and the TV drama to Henry’s as well as Tudors’ popularity in general! Mantel’s final installment in Thomas Cromwell series The Mirror and The Light is finally out and BBC has already confirmed they will adapt The Mirror and The Light  as a sequel to the Golden-Globe winning Wolf Hall and that Mark Rylance will resume his role as Thomas Cromwell. We are hoping that Damian will also return to the show as Henry VIII.

And now, in celebration of King Henry’s birthday, it is my utmost pleasure to re-visit the most memorable Henry moments in Wolf Hall TV Drama.

Long Live the King! Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Henry VIII: Revisiting Damian Lewis in Wolf Hall”