I am not a groupie of monarchy, past or present. As a principle for organizing society (with apologies to Margaret Thatcher, who famously said "society" does not exist) it has been too often a vehicle for oppression, theft, and cruelty. King after king after king... the story is always the same, and always seems to involve grubbing for glory. Which is why I enjoyed "The Virgin Queen" so much, as its focus leans more into statecraft, human frailty and conscience.
(Of course, Elizabeth did her share of grubbing, counting pennies like a housewife, and making economies.) Let's face it, Elizabeth was a freak, not because she was female, but because she never married. In this series, we get to see and feel her freakish solitude, her quality of being set apart even surrounded by courtiers, advisors and ambassadors, and her passion for her one true friend, Robert Dudley. Ann Marie Duff is entrancing as Queen Elizabeth (certainly one of the most difficult roles for any actress!) Thanks to excellent makeup, she plays Elizabeth throughout, from a teenager to a woman of 63. She does a wonderful job of conveying Elizabeth's maddening indecisiveness, loneliness, and fiery temperament.
I won't get into analyzing the other actors' performances, which range from competent to excellent.
The entire production benefits from gorgeous costuming and scenery, and right here let me give a shout-out to the horses and their wranglers. The scene where Elizabeth rides out in splendour to her soldiers on her majestic white horse is breathtaking. Robes flowing in the wind, she sits high and erect, every inch the queen we imagine when we read history.
Unlike others, I didn't mind the casting of Dudley, although his gigantic pout could be distracting. The one thing that did bug me was the soundtrack, which featured a medieval choir. The choir was fabulous, chilling at times, but the endless repetition of the same tune was wearying.
Still, a satisfying and enjoyable production that does a creditable job of showing how great queen really thought, felt, and behaved.
(Of course, Elizabeth did her share of grubbing, counting pennies like a housewife, and making economies.) Let's face it, Elizabeth was a freak, not because she was female, but because she never married. In this series, we get to see and feel her freakish solitude, her quality of being set apart even surrounded by courtiers, advisors and ambassadors, and her passion for her one true friend, Robert Dudley. Ann Marie Duff is entrancing as Queen Elizabeth (certainly one of the most difficult roles for any actress!) Thanks to excellent makeup, she plays Elizabeth throughout, from a teenager to a woman of 63. She does a wonderful job of conveying Elizabeth's maddening indecisiveness, loneliness, and fiery temperament.
I won't get into analyzing the other actors' performances, which range from competent to excellent.
The entire production benefits from gorgeous costuming and scenery, and right here let me give a shout-out to the horses and their wranglers. The scene where Elizabeth rides out in splendour to her soldiers on her majestic white horse is breathtaking. Robes flowing in the wind, she sits high and erect, every inch the queen we imagine when we read history.
Unlike others, I didn't mind the casting of Dudley, although his gigantic pout could be distracting. The one thing that did bug me was the soundtrack, which featured a medieval choir. The choir was fabulous, chilling at times, but the endless repetition of the same tune was wearying.
Still, a satisfying and enjoyable production that does a creditable job of showing how great queen really thought, felt, and behaved.