Review: THE SPHERE OF LIGHT at Hever Festival Theatre, Kent

 


Tickets: Gifted

Date: 4th August 2023 

Seat: Unallocated 

Stars: 2

The story of the Boleyn family is a rich and fascinating one filled with mystery, intrigue, and some very well-hidden skeletons in some very ornate closets; The Sphere of Light, written and directed by Ann Henning Jocelyn and based on her book of the same name, tries valiantly to capture that captivating essence. It almost succeeds, too, and with some tweaks, this play about not just Anne but lesser-known Boleyn family members could become something wonderful. It’s just not quite there yet. 

Performed in the gorgeous setting of Hever Castle’s loggia, there could be no better place to watch the drama behind one of the most notorious and little-understood families in history play out – after all, the castle was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. Surrounded by expansive gardens on one side and the stunning lake on the other, the atmosphere was evocative and meaningful. Unfortunately, the play didn’t live up to the gorgeous location. 



The main issue here is that story of The Sphere of Light is a complex and multi-layered one, and two and a quarter hours isn’t really enough time to get to the heart of things. We hear from Anne Boleyn, as well as her sister, Mary, brother, George, sister-in-law, Jane, mother, Elizabeth, and nephew, Jo Jo (George). That’s a lot of characters to get to know, and because there are so many of them, the audience only has a glimpse of each. It would have been fascinating to hear the story from just one point of view, perhaps one of the lesser-known Boleyns, and see the whole saga unfold from their perspective. Switching from person to person meant that although we got some scraps of information about what happened to them all, we didn’t get enough. 

The story of The Sphere of Light is something that absolutely needs to be explored, but a more concise and focused narrative with more action – there was a lot of telling rather than showing – would certainly take the play to the next level and ensure that the secrets of the Boleyn women (and men) become known. 

Find out more about the Hever Festival here: https://heverfestival.co.uk/

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