Based on Hilary Mantel’s historical novel by the same name, Wolf Hall is a stage adaptation of the fictionalized biography of Thomas Cromwell, advisor to King Henry VIII of England. Following the failure Cardinal Wolsey to secure Henry’s divorce from Katharine of Aragon, Cromwell uses a dangerous combination of manipulation, efficiency, and personal charm to bring about the impossible: to proclaim Henry VIII as supreme head of the newly invented Church of England. The story mainly deals with Cromwell’s rapid rise to power in the English court, and the tumultuous events that followed.
Following a sold-out run at Stratford-upon-Avon, Wolf Hall was produced on Broadway in two parts: Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, where it was billed as one massive “theatrical event.” Although it did not win at the 2015 Tony Awards, it was critically well received and has since done wonders for the book sales of Ms. Mantel.
Wolf Hall guide sections
