Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantel must be very impressed with the way BBC2 captured the spirit and tone of the turbulent Tudor era from the rise of Cromwell to the death of Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall. The screenwriter condensed Bring Up the Bodies into just two episodes, but the storyline was easy to follow and did not feel rushed. All in all, I loved the series, both for the acting and the beautiful settings. Of course, Master Cromwell dominated by saying very little and conveying much with his masterful presence and quietly sympathetic character. At the same time, you had to admire the ambition and intellect he displayed in giving the king the wealth and freedom he needed to propel England into becoming a major state in Europe. Of course we know Henry's private life was marred by his obsessive need for a son, a desire fuelled by the tenuous nature of the Tudor's claim to the crown and the proliferation of Plantagenets that still existed at that time. Damian Lewis made an impressive Henry, still dashing and not yet quite a complete monster, although petulant and demanding. Mark Rylance's quiet almost withdrawn portrayal was so watchful, so intelligent, you feel this might well become his signature role. And Claire Foy made an intelligent and scheming Anne, who surely would have made a marvellous queen should she have managed to produce the sons Henry desired. All I want now is for Ms Mantel to finish the story of Cromwell's remarkable life, even though we all know it ends in tragedy.

Watching the first episode actually put me to sleep. The pace is very slow to begin with and the lighting is low, the actors voices rather drowsy but, I watched it again on catchup and am so glad I did. This is a superb piece of historical drama, not entirely factual but nonetheless, superb. Great acting from all with the one exception of the actress playing Ann's sister, whom I thought rather too modern looking for the part. Now onto the series. The lighting in this was very realistic, the acting almost faultless and the natural pauses in speech were allowed here, which on screen is something very rare indeed. The ellipsis were excellent and we really were given a flavor of what it was that made up the character from child to man, which added to a sense of congruity for me. I would have given this one a 10 star review but, for me, it seemed one episode short. The characters demise was not shown and I think this was a real error on the part of the director. However, it was beautiful to watch and overall, very enjoyable.

Hilary Mantel's superb novels 'Wolf Hall' and "Bringing Out of the Bodies' manage to execute an extraordinary balance. On one hand, they rehabilitate the reputation of Thomas Cromwell, one of Henry VIII's advisors, who received wisdom portrays as a man of viciousness and ambition; according to Mantel, this picture dates only from Victorian times, and Mantel rehabilitates Cromwell as a surprisingly humanistic working class hero. But as the same time, she never strays into the territory of ascribing modern motives to the characters she wishes she have our sympathy, and "primitive" attitudes to the ones we're supposed to hate. Instead, she brings us inside the morality of the times: the fact that it doesn't map cleanly onto our own is precisely what makes the books interesting. This BBC television adaption can't quite replicate the stream-of-consciousness from inside Cromwell's head provided by the novels, and almost inevitably it's a bit more Tudors-by-numbers. But it doesn't do a bad job either, avoiding the obvious clichés and giving us a convincing realisation of Mantel's work that captures most, if not quite all, of its inherent subtlety. Mark Rylance is simply superb as Cromwell, and most of the other actors offer a convincing interpretation of their roles, especially Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn, the minor noblewoman who punches above her weight all the way to the chopping block. What's still to come is the third (as yet unwritten) book of the trilogy, and the fall that follows Cromwell's rise. I look forward to it as novel and television alike.

Having only seen this really from Thomas More's perspective in 'A Man for all Seasons' (a brilliant film) I was intrigued to see it from the 'villain's' point of view which is what Cromwell was in the film. This has been quite an eye opener for me and I am absolutely hooked on the BBC series right now. It got off to a fairly slow start in episode 1 in setting the background for the story but it has just got better and better, the acting from Rylance and Lewis etc is superb and Mark Rylance is not too dissimilar in appearance from Cromwell's actual appearance. Another superb costume drama from the BBC and long may it continue if this is the standard we can expect for future productions.

I rate this 10/10 to counterbalance a couple of people who, perhaps used to watching flat TV shows, have given a most unfair 1/10 rate to a magnificent mini-series.

The acting is impeccable. Mark Rylance plays a remarkable Cromwell, completely taking over the audience with a subtly nuanced character composition. I've always enjoyed Damian Lewis, so it is no surprise his Henry VIII hasn't disappointed me in the least. But Claire Foy, what a talented, lovely interpretation! They, together with Saskia Reeves (an excellent actress), Jessica Raine and a constellation of great actors make Wolf Hall a truly powerful experience to view more than once.

The production boasts of a marvelous attention to detail, from indoors decoration to costumes, behaviours and dining-- a pleasure to relish on.

But what most impressed me (other people have hated the show for this) is the dim, realistic candle-lit night scenes. I have always deplored movies with fake candle-lit interiors which are an insult to viewers' discerning ability. Now you watch Wolf Hall and you can almost smell the dripping burning candles!

The action is very well plotted, considering the books are quite lengthy. There is nothing boring in this 6-episode great TV show and much to enjoy and admire. When episode 6 gets to the closing scenes, you end up wishing there were a second or third season (though, the truth must be said, no one would like to see Cromwell's ill-fated decapitation in Rylance's human and favourable depiction).

In short, if you appreciate exquisite direction and photography, excellent acting, a great script adaptation and a lavish historical production, you will find this show second to none.