Medieval king may have approved of this account of war-torn reign

DIRECTOR Hal Chambers and Rabble Theatre have revived Beth Flintoff’s 2016 drama about King Henry I.

In 1120, Henry made the endowment that allowed the building of Reading Abbey, so what more fitting venue could there be for this play than the ruins of the once grand edifice?

Visually striking against the backdrop of the craggy remains of the Chapter House, the industrial-looking set design (Sarah Jane Booth) provides several levels for the action to unfold and the apron stage offers plenty of room for a play that is full of movement and tussle.

The opening scene plunges us into battle, signalling that this play will be dominated by conflict. While the men swap tales of derring-do, the moving figure of Mabel the widowed miller’s wife (Georgie Fellows) embodies the human misery arising from warfare.

Toby W Davies plays Henry with great sympathy as an ambivalent character caught between the excitement of battle and his sense of decency and human kindness.

Is there a place for such values in times of war? Not, it would seem, in the mind of the dastardly Robert de Belleme (played with mean swagger by Greg Barnett), who appears to enjoy the cruelty he inflicts and later becomes the loathed husband of Agnes of Ponthieu (Anjelica Serra), much against her will.

Gabrielle Sheppard is fiercely nasty as William Rufus. In contrast, Joseph Black as Roger is convincing and dignified as Henry’s moral compass. The death of William the Conqueror stirs up sibling rivalry on a grand scale among his children.

His mischievous bequest awards the throne of England to William Rufus, while oldest son Robert Curthose (played with superb tetchiness by Mark Middleton) has to settle for Duke of Normandy. Amy Conachan is strong as sister Adela, the family peacemaker. There is a dark streak of humour in this play, best embodied by Sheppard, who establishes a comically corrupt court in England, aided and abetted by William’s group of hangers-on and headed up by chief toady Ranulf Flambard (Mark Middleton).

Sheppard is scarily hilarious as she swishes around in kingly robes with extra-flamboyant sleeves (costumes by Sarah Jane Booth).

The drama and pace of the play is enhanced by Gilbert Lake’s sound, Michael Brenkley’s lighting, music from Benjamin Hudson and Rosalind Steele, stylised movement directed by Gareth Taylor and plenty of stage fighting co-ordinated by Dani Davies. Rabble’s community actors step in to fill support roles on stage.

Events become even more challenging as the play continues. We see Henry seize the throne of England and marry the composed and cultured Edith (Georgie Fellows).

Various rebellions occur; there’s illness, death and a tragic sea journey. Henry reveals his ruthless side to his daughter Juliana (a lively Anjelica Serra) and her daughters (well done to the two young actors who played Henry’s grandchildren).

The final scene is quiet and ponderous in tone; Henry is a broken man, penitent over his past misdeeds. There’s a final cameo appearance from Dani Davies as the grown-up Matilda, ready to segue into the second play of Flintoff’s trilogy.

The word is that Henry I is buried somewhere in the abbey precincts. If his ghost was looking on at the performance I saw, he would have been very pleased at this impressive and creative account of his life and times.

Until Saturday, July 1.

Susan Creed