By Grace Hatchell, currently clutching a paper full of chips and trying not to get emotionally attached to another Tudor woman destined for a stressful time.
Honestly, if someone in England says “King Henry VIII is having a disagreement with his wife,” your first instinct should probably be to run.
Production images by photographer Helen Murray have now been released for 1536 ahead of the play’s West End run at the Ambassadors Theatre from 2 May to 1 August 2026, following its acclaimed success at the Almeida Theatre.
1536 comes knocking to Theatre Village of its West End transfer to the Ambassadors Theatre. Ava Pickett’s Olivier-nominated play explores female friendship, power and survival in Tudor England with a sharp modern edge.
This isn’t one of those dusty history plays where everyone slowly walks about in ruffs talking like they’ve swallowed a dictionary.
Honestly, if somebody in England whispers “Henry VIII is having marriage problems again,” your immediate response should probably be “right, who’s about to lose their head then?”
Production images have now been released for 1536 ahead of the production’s West End run at the Ambassadors Theatre from 2 May to 1 August 2026, following its acclaimed run at the Almeida Theatre.
And listen, this is not one of those history plays where everybody wanders about gloomily in candlelight speaking like they’re trapped inside a GCSE textbook.
This one sounds alive.
Written by Ava Pickett, 1536 takes audiences back to Tudor England and into a field in Essex where three women gather to exchange gossip from London. Word soon spreads of rising tensions between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, but as rumours travel closer to home, the women begin recognising unsettling echoes within their own lives.
Suddenly, what starts as gossip becomes something far more dangerous.
The play has already made a major impact following its Almeida Theatre run, earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play, while Ava Pickett won Most Promising Playwright at both The Standard Theatre Awards and the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. Previous honours for the production also include the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and a special commendation at the George Devine Award.
And honestly, there is something very funny about a play called 1536 sounding more relevant to modern conversations than half the things currently happening online.
The cast sees Liv Hill return as Jane, following acclaimed performances in Three Girls, which earned her a BAFTA nomination, alongside television roles in Disclaimer, The Great and Miss Austen. Siena Kelly reprises the role of Anna after appearing in productions including Black Mirror and Adult Material, the latter earning her a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Tanya Reynolds also returns as Mariella, with audiences likely recognising her from Sex Education, The Baby and upcoming series The Other Bennet Sister and Ted Lasso.
Joining them are Oliver Johnstone as Richard, whose theatre credits include Retrograde, All My Sons and Oppenheimer, alongside George Kemp as William, known for productions including High Noon and Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, as well as television appearances in Bridgerton and Outlander: Blood Of My Blood.
The understudy company includes Harry Bradley, Saroja-Lily Ratnavel and Sydney Spencer, with Spencer previously appearing in Hamilton and The Wizard of Oz.
Behind the scenes, the production is led by director Lyndsey Turner, whose previous credits include Chimerica, Hamlet and The Crucible. The creative team also includes set and costume designer Max Jones, lighting designer Jack Knowles, sound designer Tingying Dong and composer and arranger Will Stuart.
Additional creatives include intimacy director and choreographer Anna Morrissey, casting director Amy Ball CDG, fight director Sam Lyon-Behan and dialect coach Edda Sharpe.
And with the Almeida Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions, Annapurna Theatre and LuckyChap all behind the production, this is very much one of those shows that arrives in the West End with serious momentum already behind it.
Recently, it was also announced that the BBC is developing 1536 into an eight-part television drama, with Ava Pickett adapting her own work for the screen.
Which means there is every chance this little field in Essex is about to become everybody’s next television obsession too.
Directed by Lyndsey Turner, the play has been described by critics as “electrifying”, “razor-sharp” and “blisteringly relevant”, while exploring female friendship and survival in a society built to silence women.
Because beneath the Tudor dresses, whispered rumours and growing fear, this sounds less like a play about history and more like a story about what happens when ordinary women realise powerful men’s decisions can suddenly change everything around them.
Also, as a Yorkshire woman myself, I fully support gathering dramatically in fields to exchange gossip. We just tend to do ours near a Greggs instead.
1536 runs at the Ambassadors Theatre from 2 May until 1 August 2026, with opening night on 12 May. Tickets start from £20.
1536
02 MAY – 01 AUGUST 2026
AMBASSADORS THEATRE
Performance schedule: Monday – Saturday, 7.30pm
Wednesday and Saturday, 2.30pm
Press Performance: Tuesday 12 May at 7pm
Ticket Prices: From £20.00
Trigger Warnings: The production contains swearing, strong language, violence and sexual content.
Address: West St, London WC2H 9ND
Website: 1536OnStage.com
Production Photography;
Cast: Liv Hill, Siena Kelly, Tanya Reynolds, Oliver Johnstone, George Kemp;
Directed by Lyndsey Turner;
Set and Costume Design by Max Jones;
Lighting Design by Jack Knowles;
Sound Design by Tingying Dong;
Intimacy Direction and Choreography by Anna Morrissey;
Music by Will Stuart;
Produced by Almeida Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions, Annapurna Theatre and LuckyChap;
Ambassadors Theatre, London, UK;
2 May 2026 ;
Photo: Helen Murray
www.helenmurrayphotos.com
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