Review: A Man for All Seasons at Grand Opera House York

“…Carefully paced and assured in its delivery…”

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, Grand Opera House York

By Sean Sable

I must admit, whenever I see a classic play that has been on my ‘bucket list’, I brace myself. Will it live up to a lifetime of hype? So, with genuine pleasure, I can say that this year’s touring production of A Man for All Seasons, playing at the Grand Opera House in York, lives up to its reputation. Carefully paced and assured in its delivery, it’s a reminder of how satisfying storytelling can be when it rewards patience and attention.

Originally staged in 1960 and later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film, A Man for All Seasons has long been a staple of modern British theatre. This latest revival, a co-production from Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, is touring throughout the UK, eventually transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre later this summer. The play follows the downfall of Sir Thomas More, the deeply principled Lord Chancellor who famously refused to endorse King Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. When the court splinters over the boundaries of law and religion, More finds himself isolated. He is unwilling to betray his conscience even when it means sacrificing his life. The historical context is admittedly dense, but Bolt’s script handles it with nuance, never talking down to the audience. It’s a play that trusts you to keep up but never leaves you behind.

Martin Shaw gives a gentle but commanding performance as More. There’s a quiet dignity and almost fatherly manner to the way he holds the stage. Although he delivers real force during the bigger speeches, it was the tender exchanges that caught me off guard – particularly one near the end with Abigail Cruttenden as his wife, Alice, which felt heartbreakingly real.

Gary Wilmot as ‘The Common Man’ shapeshifted his way through nearly every scene. He was so likeable and charming, we almost forgive him for being the jury foreman who sentences More to death. Edward Bennett is perfectly cast as Cromwell: precise, tightly wound, and marked by an Alan Rickman-esque calculating menace. Huw Brentnall as Henry VIII made a strong impression within just a single scene. He offered a very human Henry who is as confident and spoiled as he is unpredictable. His curtain-call boos were affectionate and well-earned.

What really stood out to me, though, was how well all the production elements worked together. Simon Higlett’s set is a gorgeous throwback with solid wooden panels that glide and shift to create courtrooms, homes, and prisons. I was struck by how versatile it was for its size, and how rarely we see sets this substantial in touring productions anymore. Working in harmony with the staging, the lighting is especially sharp, isolating moments and dividing the space in subtle ways that enhance the set’s adaptability. A standout moment came late in the play, when warm and cold lighting was used to split the stage: More, alone in his cell on one side, while Cromwell and his cronies discussed his fate on the other. A simple choice, powerfully executed.

The costumes are rich, elegant, and clearly well-researched. In a world where “the apparel oft proclaims the man”, the transition from More’s ornate robes to plainer clothing, and eventually to the simple robes of a prisoner, said everything about his fall from favour. For history lovers in particular, the attention to detail was a real treat.

The only element that felt slightly underdeveloped for me was the sound design. Aside from a few water effects and short musical moments, the space sometimes felt a little bare. I tend to respond strongly to sound in theatre, so I would have liked just a little more atmosphere. That said, the minimalism didn’t take anything away from the play’s success; it just felt a little thin when contrasted with such rich context.

There’s something deeply satisfying about a production that isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead focuses on doing something really, really well. If you’ve never seen A Man for All Seasons before, this is an excellent introduction. If you already know it, this version offers a beautiful and thoughtful reminder of why it’s endured.

A Man for All Seasons plays at Grand Opera House York until Saturday 02 August. Tickets are available here.

Sean Sable is a Yorkshire-based freelance writer and editor specialising in Young Adult and Horror fiction, frequently at the same time. When she isn’t buried under a pile of books and manuscripts, she is looking for her keys and having extensive one-sided conversations, in Swedish, with her deaf cat. You can find her online at: www.seansable.co.uk