24 | September 12, 2013 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News Graham Butler, “I’m certain my luck is about to run out so I should probably do some rubbish telly or something.” A T 26-years-old, parts like Henry VI just don’t tend to materialise. Well, that’s what Graham Butler had convinced himself, until it turned out he was wrong. The Lancashire born lad is taking on the title role in The Globe’s touring production of Shakespeare’s tense three-parter, Henry VI, at the Cambridge Arts Theatre next week – and it seems rather serendipitous. “It’s quite a weird one,” he admits, detailing how Henry’s famous mole hill speech in Part III was what Graham used to wrangle his way into drama school and performed on the Olivier stage as part of a National Theatre award. Now he’s happily nailing the role on a nightly basis: “I think it will remain a career highlight for quite some time – it’d take a lot to top it.” Born in Rosendale near Burnley (“It’s a bit of a no-man’s land, a bit of a wasteland of culture,”), Graham’s parents weren’t particularly artistic but, “being in that cultural wasteland, being in these jobs they didn’t particularly love too much, were very enthusiastic that me and my siblings do whatever we wanted to. Not in a crazy 1970s hippie way! “I think I just saw my mum being really bored coming home from work every day, and they were always very encouraging of the arts, even just in simple ways like reading to us at night which always seemed like a natural things parents did but not everyone does do it. We were quite lucky in that respect.” As a result, he became an actor and his brothers similarly carved out niches in the arts; one’s a director and the other’s a writer. Graham still remembers the first time they encountered Shakespeare thanks to their grandparents – a “really silly, farcical, Mr Bean like production” of Comedy of Errors. Then they went home and re-enacted it in the garden. It must have been good practice, as Henry VI is a tough role to master. “I think he’s the most beautiful, wonderful, innocent man – possibly the most pure, beautiful character Shakespeare ever wrote,” Graham enthuses. “Obviously that doesn’t explain all his faults which are manifold. Henry in his life, certainly in Shakespeare’s version, gets a lot wrong. He’s not a great king but not for want of trying. “He was incredibly pious, he just wanted peace and harmony and he preaches about love a great deal, love and peace. may not get the king bit right, but he certainly, definitely gets the human being bit right.” Although it was planned more than two years ago, the tour has luckily coincided with the current obsession for all things York and Lancaster. From the historical furore surrounding the digging up of Richard III’s deformed skeleton at a car park in Leicester (the battle still rages on regarding where the monarch should be reburied), to the BBC’s lusty adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen series. “I think quite simply it’s just because it’s about time,” Graham muses when asked if he can explain the sudden interest. “When you’re young it seems like English history starts with the Tudors, and this is, as these plays demonstrate, one of the most interesting periods of our history, and yet, perhaps because it is so complicated, people change sides every couple of years historically, or in the plays, every couple of scenes, it’s wildly complex. But it’s absolutely necessary that we know about it. “So if that means The White Queen, which is based on fact but is still just fiction really, if that gives people some insight into what happened in the period, then it’s definitely, definitely worthwhile.” Packed with grisly violence, torn rulers, bloody battles and rebels seeking justice and retribution, you can see why it’s strange it’s a segment of history that hasn’t earned equal billing with Henry VIII’s gaggle of wives. It’s also a wonder – what with all the swordplay – that, so far, the cast has managed to avoid decapitating one another. “There have been a couple of little injuries. Yet nowhere near as many as you’d think,” Graham says wryly. “The actors are so committed to doing [the fight scenes] quickly and properly, they don’t let up. If it’s been raining outside, they’re not going to slow down for anyone, so I think it’s remarkable that everyone is basically intact.” e were quite “He may not get thekingbit right, but he necessary Theatre Henry VI: HIGH DRAMA: Beatriz Romilly as Joan of Arc, Andrew Sheridan as Lord Talbot and Graham Butler as King Henry VI, this picture and left
Transcript
24 | September 12, 2013 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News
Graham Butler,
“I’m certain my luck is about to runout so I should probably do somerubbish telly or something.”
AT 26-years-old, parts likeHenry VI just don’t tend tomaterialise. Well, that’s what
Graham Butler had convincedhimself, until it turned out he waswrong.
The Lancashire born lad is takingon the title role in The Globe’stouring production of Shakespeare’stense three-parter, Henry VI, at theCambridge Arts Theatre next week –and it seems rather serendipitous.
“It’s quite a weird one,” he admits,detailing how Henry’s famous molehill speech in Part III was whatGraham used to wrangle his way intodrama school and performed on theOlivier stage as part of a NationalTheatre award. Now he’s happilynailing the role on a nightly basis: “Ithink it will remain a career highlightfor quite some time – it’d take a lot totop it.”
Born in Rosendale near Burnley(“It’s a bit of a no-man’s land, abit of a wasteland of culture,”),Graham’s parents weren’t particularlyartistic but, “being in that culturalwasteland, being in these jobs theydidn’t particularly love too much,were very enthusiastic that me andmy siblings do whatever we wantedto. Not in a crazy 1970s hippie way!
“I think I just saw my mum beingreally bored coming home from workevery day, and they were always
very encouraging ofthe arts, even justin simple ways likereading to us at nightwhich always seemedlike a natural thingsparents did but noteveryone does do it. We were quitelucky in that respect.”
As a result, he became an actorand his brothers similarly carved outniches in the arts; one’s a directorand the other’s a writer. Grahamstill remembers the first time theyencountered Shakespeare thanks totheir grandparents – a “really silly,farcical, Mr Bean like production”of Comedy of Errors. Then theywent home and re-enacted it in thegarden.
It must have been good practice,as Henry VI is a tough role to master.
“I think he’s the most beautiful,wonderful, innocent man – possiblythe most pure, beautiful characterShakespeare ever wrote,” Grahamenthuses. “Obviously that doesn’texplain all his faults which aremanifold. Henry in his life, certainlyin Shakespeare’s version, gets a lotwrong. He’s not a great king but notfor want of trying.
“He was incredibly pious, he justwanted peace and harmony and hepreaches about love a great deal, loveand peace.
may not get the king bit right, but hecertainly, definitely gets the humanbeing bit right.”
Although it was planned morethan two years ago, the tour hasluckily coincided with the currentobsession for all things York andLancaster. From the historicalfurore surrounding the digging upof Richard III’s deformed skeletonat a car park in Leicester (the battlestill rages on regarding where themonarch should be reburied), to theBBC’s lusty adaptation of PhilippaGregory’s The White Queen series.
“I think quite simply it’s justbecause it’s about time,” Grahammuses when asked if he can explainthe sudden interest. “When you’reyoung it seems like English historystarts with the Tudors, and this is,as these plays demonstrate, one ofthe most interesting periods of ourhistory, and yet, perhaps because it isso complicated, people change sidesevery couple of years historically, orin the plays, every couple of scenes,it’s wildly complex. But it’s absolutely
necessarythat we know about it.
“So if that means The White Queen,which is based on fact but is stilljust fiction really, if that gives peoplesome insight into what happenedin the period, then it’s definitely,definitely worthwhile.”
Packed with grisly violence, tornrulers, bloody battles and rebelsseeking justice and retribution, youcan see why it’s strange it’s a segmentof history that hasn’t earned equalbilling with Henry VIII’s gaggle ofwives. It’s also a wonder – whatwith all the swordplay – that, sofar, the cast has managed to avoiddecapitating one another.
“There have been a couple of littleinjuries. Yet nowhere near as manyas you’d think,” Graham says wryly.“The actors are so committed todoing [the fight scenes] quickly andproperly, they don’t let up. If it’s beenraining outside, they’re not going toslow down for anyone, so I think it’sremarkable that everyone is basicallyintact.”
We were quite “Hemay not get the king bit right, but he necessary
Theatre
Henry VI:
HIGH DRAMA: Beatriz Romilly as Joan of Arc,Andrew Sheridan as Lord Talbot and Graham Butleras King Henry VI, this picture and left
Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | September 12, 2013 | 25
It’s taken two years to trim down andtransform Shakespeare’s original texts intoThe Globe’s current version. Director NickBagnall recently said that in terms of actionhe and co-editor Dave Hartley have “got ridof all of the chit-chat and gone straight tothe bone.”
Graham agrees: “Part II running at fulllength would be about four hours, we’ve gotrid of 50 per cent of it almost, and I totallysee that as a good thing.”
“It was a worry to begin with, thatpeople might have accused us ofbastardising this great text butactually, when people see them, Ithink they understand why it’s beendone,” he admits, before laughing.“They’re very early plays and youcan definitely see that Shakespeare isfinding his feet, finding his way – andhe does go on a bit.”
As a result, you are left with the rawbones without losing any of the original’sbeauty. “It feels like you’re watching threebrilliant, tight action thrillers,” Grahambuzzes. “Shakespeare ends them on thesegreat cliff-hangers every time. You can’tavoid the fact it’s EastEnders orsomething. There’s a bit ofGodfather in there, there areall these weird, early mafiatype families, and I think interms of pure entertainment,
you get straight to the action,none of the story is lost,they are very taught, tightand tense.”
In a troupe of 14 Grahamis the only actor in all threeparts that only plays onecharacter. The rest tumblein and out of multipleroles,whip
costumes on and off and leap in and outof scene as they span 50 years of English
history. Garry Cooper, who’s main roleis Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, atone point plays four characters in asingle scene. “It’s quite a feat,” saysGraham. “Nick lets the audience see the
mechanics of theatre, there’s no pretencethat this is another actor coming on, we
know they’re the same people and there’squite a joy in that.”
And some of the characters are justdream roles; there’s the brazen,
formidable Joan of Arc in partI, the rascally rebel leaderand throat slitter Jack Cadein part II, and, of course,Richard III in part III. It’simpressive; what’s more
impressive is that the castregularly performs allthree parts exhaustinglyback-to-back. The onlything more mental thanthat, is sticking it out asan audience member,
cagoule clad in three pairsof socks on a rain soaked
battlefield (fortunatelyyou’ll be able to see all
threepartsin the
cosy Arts Theatre auditorium instead).“At least we go off to sit in a tent back
stage and have a cup of tea or something,but these audience members are out therefor 12 hours in the rain,” Graham says,grateful but bemused. “We might be a bittired and we keep running on and gettingour costumes wet and everyone’s whingeinga bit, but the audience are sitting there inthe freezing cold. That energy the audiencebrings is what I think sees us through thosethree plays.”
He reckons the third part is usuallythe most loved: “It’s doomy and gloomy;everyone’s basically meeting a horrible,sticky end,” but it’s not his favourite: “PartII is my favourite I think, just because it’s soanarchic and strange, it’s almost absurdist.It’s like [Shakespeare] strung loads ofdifferent scenes, loads of different ideas andjust drove them all in, and somehow they’veall melded together and made a completething. But I really just feel they are just threeepisodes of one piece now.”
So how will he top this experience? “I’vebeen doing a lot of theatre for the last fouryears so I’ve had a great run, I’ve lovedeverything I’ve done, so I’m certain my luckis about to run out so I should probably dosome rubbish telly or something for a while,just so I can’t be disappointed.”
� Henry VI: Three plays, Cambridge Arts Theatre. Tickets £15-£27 from (01223) 503333 / cambridgeartstheatre.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk� Part I: Harry the Sixth, Tuesday, September 17 at 7.45pm / Saturday, September 21 at 12.30pm� Part II: The House of York and Lancaster, Wednesday, September 18 at 7.45pm / Saturday, September 21 at 4pm� Part III: The True Tragedy of the Duke of York, Thursday, September 19 – Saturday, September 21 at 7.45pm
With Richard III’s corpse recentlydiscovered under a car park and the BBClustily drowning in tantrums, subterfugeand historical drama in The WhiteQueen, the Houses of Lancaster andYork are definitely on the agenda at themoment. ELLA WALKER catches up withGraham Butler, aka The Globe’s latestincarnation of Henry VI, ahead of astripped back run at the Cambridge
HENRY VI: THE HOUSES OFYORK AND LANCASTERThursday, September 19 at 4pm, bestavailable seats for just £15.Please call the Box Office on 01223503333 to book.Offer is subject to availability, termsand conditions to apply. QuoteCambridge News. Tickets are subjectto a £2.50 booking fee. Cannot beused in conjunction with any otheroffer.
she
STRAIGHT TO THEBONE: Simon Harrisonas Richard of Gloucesterand, left, Patrick Myles asKing Edward IV
GET THE LATEST WHAT’S ON NEWS at cambridge-news.co.uk/whatson
![Henry VIII’s Family Edward VI [r. 1547-1553] Henry dies on Jan 28, 1547. Edward “takes the throne” at age 9 and dies at age 14. Rules through a regency.](https://static.documents.pub/doc/80x56/56649ec15503460f94bccdd2/henry-viiis-family-edward-vi-r-1547-1553-henry-dies-on-jan-28-1547.jpg)
