The first and second seasons of that glamorous series, The Tudors, is coming back to the Showcase Channel on Foxtel. Irish actor Jonathon Rys Meyers’ “ lean, mean portrayal of Henry VIII” is, as the programme introduction says, “unfamiliar".
But Lady Antonia Fraser, author of “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” seems to approve, except for Meyers’ lack of red hair, although she agrees he is “terrific” in the part.
Sam Neill as Cardinal Wolsey is convincing, and Jeremy Northam plays a masterful Sir Thomas More. Anne Boleyn is played by Natalie Dormer. ( As we reported recently, Sam Neill may soon become Sir Sam Neill, an internationally recognized honour denied to Australians of similar accomplishment.)
This American produced series has its own website.
There is even a table of divergences between the script and known facts.
This production is a wonderful way to interest young people in our common history, a royal feast indeed.
We understand the programming schedule is:-
- at 8:30pm Mondays (starting Monday April 13th) double episodes of The Tudors season 1
- a marathon screening of all the season 1 episodes back to back on Saturday May 16th starting at 10:30am
- at 8:30pm Mondays (starting Monday May 18th) there will be double episodes of The Tudors season 2