Friedrich Schiller’s great historical tragedy Mary Stuart is coming to the Round Church, one of Cambridge’s most unique and intimate spaces. Schiller’s play centres on the last days of Mary, Queen of Scots - after decades in prison, it looks as if escape might finally be in Mary’s reach. Meanwhile her cousin Elizabeth I finds herself at the heart of a scheming court, which calls for Mary’s execution. Elizabeth knows that to let Mary live is to risk rebellion, but to kill her is to make her the martyr her enemies have been waiting for. And, as the pressure mounts, Elizabeth can’t afford to hesitate any longer.

This adaptation by the playwright Peter Oswald is presented by Fireside Theatre, a production company recently founded by Cambridge students Maddy Trépanier and Ben Kybett. Trépanier, along with Flora Macangus and Vee Tames, who are taking on roles of the central duo of Mary and Elizabeth, explain what makes it such a compelling watch:

MT: Mary Stuart is such an appealing piece in so many respects. I think first and foremost, it’s just an excellent piece of writing in the technical sense - it’s expertly crafted so as to keep the stakes high at all times, to really create the claustrophobic world of the court. In parts it moves quite like a thriller, so there’s something really gripping about it. But perhaps on a more personal level, it’s been so refreshing to work on a play with two such stellar female roles.

“Period drama can easily slip into something rather fussy and alienating, but here the strength of the performances creates a powerful sense of urgency.”

I feel like we talk about the quality of female roles all the time, but it is truly special to find not one but two such well-formed women in a historical piece like this. Both Mary and Elizabeth get to oscillate between righteous anger and utter vulnerability, and I feel so fortunate to have such excellent actors in Flora and Vee. In a way I don’t want to overcomplicate the direction - period drama can easily slip into something rather fussy and alienating, but here the strength of the performances creates a powerful sense of urgency. The venue of the Round Church also has a lovely sense of simplicity to it, and I can’t wait to bring our stunning costumes (on loan from the RSC), candlelight and live music to the space. My aim is to be able to present the audience with an evening of theatre that feels both timeless and at times intensely modern, in a format which takes advantage of the unique links Cambridge has to the past.

FM: The character of Mary Stuart is a real joy to explore as a woman, queen and prisoner. She has many moments of strength and eloquence towards Burleigh and Elizabeth. But what makes her a gripping character is her softness and hope even when there is none. She truly believes, even for just a moment, that Leicester is behind her moment of freedom in the garden, and for that to be revealed as false by Mortimer, who she trusted as a mediator, her realisation is crushing. This play is a beautiful amalgamation of the theoretical threat Elizabeth and Mary are to each other, it is an exploration of their femininity in such hostile environments and their isolation. With the addition of the atmospheric setting of the Round Church and a live choir the show is set to be captivating evening of performance!

VT: There is always a mixture of fear and excitement when playing a role based on a real life person. However, the fact that Schiller has constructed this play around a fictional meeting between Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart has liberated any pressure to adhere to historical accuracy. Rehearsing with Maddy and the rest of the company has not been an act of historical re-enactment or reconstruction but an amazing opportunity to engage with history in an imaginative way. It is also refreshing to play a role that is so multi-faceted and challenging to conventional presentations of Elizabeth I. 

Mary Stuart will be showing at the Round Church at 8pm, Thursday 21st to Saturday 23rd November.