The James Plays are a modern cycle of history plays by award-winning playwright Rona Munro. This vividly-imagined trilogy brings to life three generations of Stewart Kings who ruled Scotland in the tumultuous fifteenth century.
Each play stands alone as a unique vision of a country tussling with its past and future; viewed together they create a complex and compelling narrative on Scottish culture and nationhood. An ensemble of 20 actors takes the audience through a rarely-explored period of history with playful wit and boisterous theatricality.
They are still on a massive scale, superbly staged and wonderfully acted.
As a digestible, diverting historical tale, James I is fine, but that’s not enough when everything else about it – the visuals, the title, the whole concept of a trilogy – suggests it was aiming for something much grander. Fortunately, there is better to come…
James II marks a clear advance on its predecessor.
The final episode of Rona Munro‘s James Plays trilogy is its most colourful and lush.
Laurie Sansom's thrilling, magnificently orchestrated production.
Individually, James I: The Key Will Keep the Lock – 4.5 stars, James II: The Day of the Innocents – 3 stars and James III: The True Mirror – 3.5 stars. Collectively – 3.5 stars.
James I: The first part of the James Trilogy is a strong starter.
James II: Melodramatic and overplayed as a whole.
James III: The True Mirror is the strongest of the three James Plays.
Rona Munro’s day-long reimagining of 15th-century royal Scotland shows a nation determined to do things on its own terms.
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Festival Theatre, Edinburgh from Wednesday February 3, 2016, until Saturday February 13, 2016. More info: http://www.edtheatres.com/festival
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