A brilliant gem, witty, gallus (cheeky) James V: KATHERINE by Rona Munro (a Raw Material and Capital Theatres Production) pulls no punches. The humour is undercut by the grim historical subject matter: the burning alive at the stake for heresy of Katherine’s brother, Patrick Hamilton in 1528 in St Andrews and how this impacts on the fictional love between two women, Katherine and Jenny. As with her famed James sequence, the forgotten history of the Stewart Kings, it has always been Munro’s aim to make the invisible visible, so why not reveal the possibility of lesbian love in the 16th century? The intricate complexity of the Scottish Reformation is made accessible by focusing on the agonising by Patrick Hamilton on whether to stand by his heresy and therefore face execution and Katherine’s own dilemma during her trial for heresy.
Why not reveal the possibility of lesbian love in the 16th century?
In contrast to the panoramic historical sequence with vast casts of the James plays, we are offered an intimate, stand-alone piece ideally suited to a small chamber like the Studio Theatre. The to and fro of the conversational witticisms, even more effective with the occasional Scots vocabulary, make the historical issues more personal and affecting, though the anachronisms ‘Off we go then’ do jar a bit. However, modern expressions like ‘The Pope is shitting it’ are very funny.
The relationship between Katherine and Jenny is at times erotic but sensitive and beautifully done, particularly moving when the painful recollection of presumed rejection is explored. Lesbian love is given full honour as opposed to bigotry: ‘If we cannae love like this in Paradise, why would we want to go?’ asks Jenny.
There is so much fascinating information in this play, especially the physicality of details such as that it rained on the day Patrick was executed so that the wood was damp and it took six hours for him to die. The exploration of homophobia and misogyny of the Scottish Reformation reveals more shocking facts (e.g. accusing monks and nuns of sodomy) and James’ throw-away line ‘we burn witches, obviously’ not least one example of the casual dismissal of women throughout the play (such as his remark on Jenny’s ‘invisibility’) which also make this play, despite advances, still relevant today. The parallel with present day religious conflict is clear through James V’s ruminations on contrasting ways of looking at martyrdom: does it stamp out heresy, or electrify the causes and create more adherents?
Catriona Faint as Katherine is stunning: braw, in yer face but melting in erotic love scenes with Jenny or pleading her case during the trial. Alyth Ross as Jenny plays her as more than just the loved object, and is a strong convincing woman in her own right. Sean Connor’s energy and forceful delivery creates on the edge of the seat tension in the double roles of the Constable and James V . Sadly Benjamin Osugo as Patrick Hamilton gives a weak performance but this is probably because his tedious script sounds like the text of a 16th century sermon or info dumps taken from a historian’s summary of the Scottish Reformation and not like real life speech. Osugo’s performance as Patrick is also too restrained and inward, no doubt an attempt to portray his meditative and sensitive nature described later in reminiscence by his sister. As Spence, Osugo is much more forceful.
There’s an atmospheric setting with large, fat ecclesiastical candles at the front of the stage but the too loud electronic music used to mark different scenes and lighting aimed at the audiences’ eyes were irritating but these are winges for an otherwise superb production. Next time I am in St Andrews I will pause by the spot that marks Patrick Hamilton’s execution for a few moments and meditate not only on Patrick but his sister, Katherine.
