Bloody Mary - Live! - Just days left to catch the dark comedy about the notorious monarch in Coventry - The Coventry Observer

Bloody Mary - Live! - Just days left to catch the dark comedy about the notorious monarch in Coventry

Coventry Editorial 31st Aug, 2021   0

THEATRE-fans wanting to see a comedic new play about the notorious Queen Mary Tudor have just days left to catch it.

Bloody Mary – Live by Part Of The Night was due to launch at the Assembly at Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year but had to cancel its premiere last year because of the pandemic.

Edinburgh’s loss is Coventry’s gain as the performances of the show are now taking place at The Treehouse in the Assembly Festival Garden as part of the City of Culture 2021.

The show features the monarch – known as Bloody Mary – as a teenager performing a snarky stand-up set to explain why she burned so many people at the stake.




Perfornances are at 8.30pm every day until September 5.

Bloody Mary is the debut play written and performed by Olivia Miller and is directed by Olivia Munk and produced by Jessica Bickel-Barlow.


Olivia Miller said: “At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the fact that I saw myself in someone who burned so many people at the stake.

“But before Mary went all in on the torches, her fire burned differently – she was an incredibly devoted daughter, a highly educated woman, and a fiercely passionate believer.”

She added a sting of traumatic incidents had led to the Queen’s transformation, including divorce after divorce, the death of her mum, being removed from the line of succession, being a lady in waiting for her baby sister, threats from her father, abuse from her father, and the list went on.

“There’s a tragedy wrapped up in the horror of what she became – so naturally, I’ve written a comedy.

“I find Mary’s journey to be endlessly fascinating, artistically rich, and equal parts devastating and hilarious – I hope you will as well. ”

Olivia Munk, who has known Olivia Miller since the first day of their freshers’ year at Harvard University, almost 10 years ago, said it was an honour to direct her first project as both writer and performer.

“Bloody Mary: LIVE! will resonate with anyone who has ever fought with their parents, struggled with their siblings, or ever wanted to burn it all down.

“It’s historical fiction, a stand-up set, and a coming-of-age story all in one.

By transporting England’s first queen into Gen Z, we’re investigating how women in power have been considered through the ages and how they still fight to be heard today. Sometimes, starting a fire is the only way to get noticed.”

And Jessica said she was thrilled when Olivia Miller shared her award-nominated debut play.

“It brilliantly blends the classic stand-up set format with the one woman show and will welcome fans of both comedy and theatre.

“Part of the Night is all about expanding the reach of the arts by blending performance genres and going to unconventional spaces.

“We are excited to bring this hybrid show to one of Assembly’s most exciting venues — bar and performance space The Treehouse.”

Tickets – available at bit.ly/BloodyMaryCoventry – are £10 (£7 concessions).

The show is suitable for those aged 12 and over.

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