Search

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Mary, Queen of Scots

 
Stephanie Green Review by Stephanie Green 4 Published: 16 Aug 2025 Festival Theatre Show Dates: 15 Aug 2025-17 Aug 2025

Imagination, not history; hugely inventive; the chutzpah of gender-swapping; visually stunning, with flashes of brilliance – Scottish Ballet’s Mary, Queen of Scots, choreographed by Sophie Laplane and co-creator James Bonas, is Mary’s story reimagined as the dying Elizabeth’s memories in flashbacks. It should have had everything going for it, but somehow the relentless pace of angular, jerky choreography became tiring, and the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary failed to move.

What one remembers are the visual details

Why not have the younger Elizabeth played by a tall man (Harvey Littlefield)? To be a stronger ruler, she had to deny her womanly side. Eye-catching, with long auburn hair, bare legs and puffy pants, sometimes on stilts to symbolise the gap between her and her courtiers, she is above them but also constrained. In contrast, the older Elizabeth (Charlotta Ӧfverholm) is a frail woman in her underclothes, her wigless, wispy hair revealed, wandering in and out of the action. Mary (Roseanna Leney), always in black, is young and lively. The Jester (Kayla-Maree Tarantolo), in lime green, is a highlight: it is inspired to make her Death, skipping and playful, rejoicing at each character’s doom.

What one remembers are the visual details: Catherine de’ Medici in a steel hoop; spies as flies; Mary a spider consuming Darnley; a steel cage that descends on her; the dead Rizzio suspended from the ceiling; secret codes as graffiti. There is also some hilarious relief from the drama, such as old Elizabeth in her bath with the Jester washing her underarms and tickling her, and Mary’s baby (James) portrayed as a white balloon. Old Elizabeth (childless) is also shown cradling a baby – a white balloon, which is then popped.

The two main duets are strong. Mary’s dark, fatal attraction to Darnley (Evan Loudon) is brilliantly conveyed: flinging her head back as she is lifted, then falling in a roll to be caught. This submission is then reversed as she exits, dragging Darnley behind her on the floor – genius. Rizzio (Javier Andreu) and Darnley’s bi-sexual relationship is less stunning, but still fascinating as they vary the power dynamic. Apart from a formal dance of the Elizabethan courtiers, it is a shame that this quality of choreography is not maintained in the uninventive ensembles, which become tedious.

Warning: it is essential to read in advance the detailed synopsis online, or via QR code (the sheet given out at the show is useless) to understand who and what is going on.

Related to this article:

Location:

Performances

The Blurb:

WORLD PREMIERE

Renaissance meets punk in Scottish Ballet’s retelling of the story of one of Scotland’s most famous women.

Two women. Two crowns. One story.

As her death approaches, Elizabeth I of England is haunted by memories – both real and imagined – of her cousin and rival, Mary, Queen of Scots. Bound by blood yet divided by power, their lives were a dangerous dance of ambition, intrigue and betrayal.

The two queens’ fraught relationship is explored in this stunning world premiere from Scottish Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence Sophie Laplane and co-creator James Bonas. With striking designs by Soutra Gilmour (Sunset Boulevard) and a bold new score from the team behind the 2022 International Festival sensation Coppélia, Mary, Queen of Scots reimagines the story of one of Scotland’s most famous women.

This new production imagines a Renaissance where punk meets haute couture, and where Mary and Elizabeth's relationship inspires a rich, resonant journey through memory, history and myth.

Listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.

Supported by Flure Grossart

A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.