The Other Boleyn Girl

Philippa Gregory author Mike Poulton editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Nick Hern Books

Published:25th Apr '24

Should be back in stock very soon

The Other Boleyn Girl cover

Henry VIII's court is a stage for love and treachery, where the weapons of choice are sex, marriage – and the executioner's axe. As Henry's mistress, Mary Boleyn is a pawn in her family's lust for power. Queen Katherine of Aragon hasn't produced a male heir, and Mary's ruthless uncle scents the chance of putting his niece on the throne.

But Henry's wandering eye has fallen on another: Mary's headstrong sister, Anne, whose ambition not only threatens to destroy her bond with Mary, but shakes the foundations of Church and State.

Based on Philippa Gregory's internationally bestselling novel, The Other Boleyn Girl is a brilliant evocation of intrigue at the Tudor court – a racy and riveting drama of events that changed the course of English history. This stage adaptation by Mike Poulton was premiered at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2024, directed by Lucy Bailey.

'A fascinatingly unfamiliar story... a crowd-pleaser... a full-bodied and really enjoyable evening'

* WhatsOnStage *

'High stakes courtly manoeuvring... brings the sexual strategising of the conniving Boleyn family sharply to life... shows how the sisters refuse to be passive victims... feels almost Shakespearean'

* Guardian *

'Stylish and well crafted'

* The Times *

'Canny and serious-minded... Mike Poulton – who did the acclaimed RSC adaptation of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies – brings his expert eye to the story, distilling it into a solid three-hour drama... it valuably replays the hazardous game the Boleyns got embroiled in... poignant and astute'

* Telegraph *

'Gripping... rarely has the transactional role of marriage or childbirth in these times been laid out more starkly than in Mike Poulton's elegant adaptation'

* iNews *

'Highly atmospheric... tense and chilling... the violence of King Henry's court is a silent, looming presence... an irresistible take on this hushed-up slice of history'

* The Stage *

'Properly thrilling... very classy... Mike Poulton knows his Tudor world, having brilliantly brought the first two of Hilary Mantel's Cromwell trilogy to the stage... The whole thing is just very, very good: it holds together, and holds the heart... a real sympathetic urgency throbs through the story... Altogether terrific'

* TheatreCat *

'Will enchant lovers of historical fiction and period dramas'

* West End Best Friend *

'Sumptuous'

* Sardines Magazine *

'Stunningly triumphant... a truly fascinating and powerful story, a thriller indeed, and this atmospheric production takes us right to the heart of it'

* British Theatre Gui

ISBN: 9781839043512

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 8mm

Weight: 131g

112 pages

stage version