Showing posts with label Henry VII. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Henry VII. Show all posts

Thursday, September 6, 2012

An Historicalish Account of Katherine the Quene



Once upon a time in Aragon, there was a beautiful auburn-haired princess named Katherine. One day, her father, the King of Spain, told her that when she grew up, she was to be married to a stranger in England, this bloke named Prince Arthur. 

“But Father,” protested Katherine, “I want to be married for love!”

“Tough titty,” declared Ferdinand. “You’re a princess, and live in the 15th century besides. Now let me get to work—I’ve got an Inquisition to run.”

Princess Katherine, tears in her eyes, rushed to her friend Flounder and told him everything. However, he was just a fish, and his first language was Urdu, not Spanish. So Katherine went to her older sister Isabella to tell her of her troubles, but she was completely unhinged by this time and sleeping with her dead husband. “Oh, why can I not unsee that?” poor Katherine cried, fleeing from her sister’s marital chamber. 

Resigned and tired, but excited to live in London, what with all the great museums, shopping, and theatre, Katherine, at age 15, was anticlimactically married to Arthur by proxy. They consummated their marriage by proxy as well, which is simply not very fun, and two years later, Katherine traveled to England just in time to finally meet her husband, marry him, and catch the plague with him. “Follow me into the dark!” Arthur cried as he kicked the bucket. “Um…” stammered Katherine, and promptly got well again. This angered King Henry #7, and she was cast out in nothing but rags, a Wonder Woman lunchbox, and mice for friends. After singing an expository song telling about her plight, Katherine ran into Henry #8 (8 also being very nearly his age at the time) at ye olde merry frat party and they hit it off, singing the romantic duet together as they rode a magical sled over England. Henry #7, on his deathbed, looked out the window and saw how in love they were, and his heart melted and grew three sizes bigger and he gave them his blessing before he died.
So that’s how Katherine, the spunky, stubborn princess from Aragon, got her wish to marry for love. And they lived happily ever after. 

…Until 5 out of six of her pregnancies failed, Henry schtupped a couple of peasant wenches, fell in love with that manipulative Boleyn bitch, wanted to divorce her so badly he created a new religion to do it, and kept her from seeing her daughter Mary for the last years of her life. But you know.

The End

-Amy

Friday, August 31, 2012

Greensleeves and Glamour- A not-so-humble note from Anne Boleyn

Hello World, 

In case you don’t know me (that can’t be very many, right?), my name is Anne Boleyn. I was asked to write a bit about myself and I am most happy to do so! 

Where to begin...I shall start by saying that I will forever be one of England’s most famous queens. I was known for my intelligence, lively personality, and keen wit. Like all good French influenced women, I knew how to say no when I meant yes and yes when I meant no and thrived at the art of conversation. I could tease, tempt and trap with the best of them. I was a skilled musician and dancer, and attracted the attention of many men at court. My brilliance and forward thinking were both my asset and downfall. 

However, what many people don’t know about me was that I possessed an amazing eye for detail, a lust for fashion and a talent for persuasion. These qualities became both my comfort and hope as I often faced isolation masked in social grace. I presided over a magnificent court. Royals were expected to be extravagant in order to convey the strength of the monarchy. I spent huge sums on gowns, jewels, head-dresses, ostrich-feather fans, riding equipment, and the finest furniture and upholstery from across the world. Numerous palaces were renovated to suit my extravagant tastes.
 
To clear things up further, I would also like to address the rumors of my disfigurement and infidelity. For the record…I did nothave 6 fingers or sleep with my brother (I mean really - what classless accusations).

I did have a love affair (the only affair I had) with the color green. So much so that a famed English folk tune was rumored to be composed for me. That’s right…there is a persistent belief that Greensleeves was composed by Henry VIII for his lover and future queen (ahem). Christmas and New Year texts were not associated with the tune until 1686, and by the 19th century almost every printed collection of Christmas carols included some version of words and music together. One of the most popular of these is "What Child Is This?" written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix. Fun bit of music history for you! Admittedly, humility was never my strong suit so I feel it only appropriate that I am not only talked about but sung about to this day. Marilyn Monroe - eat your heart out!  

I had a major influence on the industry of fashion and sported designs that were from the couture collections. I brought glamor and glitz to a depressed and sullen court and was proud of my sway on the style of the time. If I were alive today, my allegiance to Jean Paul Gaultier would be mind-blowing and I am sure Henry would have had to purchase his whole collection for me. I mean, have you seen what he has put out for fall 2012? Just get a look at these:


 Can’t you just see me in that yellow dress imported from Calais? J’adore! 

I hope that this has helped you get to know me a bit better and that you find my life and times as fascinating as I. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at annieb@tudors.com or follow me on twitter #headofthehousehold. 

Au revoir,
Anne
 

 

Sunday, June 3, 2012

"Six Dead Queens and and Inflatable Henry" returns to Chicago, Fall 2012!!!


The popular and critically acclaimed play Six Dead Queens and an Inflatable Henry! is hitting the Piccolo Theatre stage again this fall, 2012!  We'll have updates and more info on the new cast members soon.

It's going to be a sight to see! The cast is rounded out entirely with Piccolo ensemble members who can't wait to be back on stage as Henry's beloved (or rather, divorced, beheaded, and dead) Queens.  If you missed it the first time, don't miss it again!  If you saw it the first time, you'll want to get tickets again!

Swish, swish, chop, chop....


Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Over-inflated Codpiece


My friends Don and Eric recently returned from a fabulous trip to London, where they visited the Tower of London and snapped this photo of King Henry VIII's armor.

Check out that huge peck! Could you imagine that coming toward you in battle?

Would you: 
a) Run in fear?
b) Run in shame of your own pathetic and unimpressive manhood?
c) Worry about getting your eye poked out?
d) Vow to get one of your own, the next time you were at the blacksmith's?
e) Simply fall over, dying of laughter? 

And wouldn't this make it slightly difficult to ride horse? I can only imagine the sorts of unnatural chaffing that would go on. No pain, no gain, eh?  Poor, poor, King Henry! HAHAHA!

Playing Catharine Parr, the last queen who was married to him while he was...ehem!..."unable", I find his overinflated cod-piece unbearably funny!


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Warwick Castle and Tussauds

Check this out! Apparently Warwick Castle (see John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and his royal meddlings regarding Lady Jane Grey) was owned for several years (recently) by Tussauds, who did a heap of renovations and added their famous wax figures.

Why do I even know about this? A friend from college (the lovely and talented Chris B.*) recently posted pics from her trip to England and couldn't resist sharing this beautiful photo:














Want to see more? Here, another visitor (who may be almost as lovely and talented as Chris), has posted her pics on Flickr of the figures depicting Henry and his wives. Henry and wives in wax.

Isn't this fascinating? (Mental note: Visit Warwick Castle when in England.)

Seeing all of these waxen ladies together in one room, I can't imagine they would have sat there in such a docile manner. Aragon would be trying to kill Boleyn, Parr would be bossing everyone around and telling them to mind their manners, Cleves would have stood on the sidelines wondering what was going on, Howard would maybe have helped Aragon just because it looked like fun, Seymour would have stood there disapproving of it all and Henry would be wondering what the hell he got himself into!

*Chris B's last name omitted to protect her from pre-renaissance-obsessed stalkers.