Our Story
He started writing “Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen” two years ago after seeing the captivating painting of Jane by Paul Delaroche in the National Gallery. The musical explores a less-familiar period of Tudor History and tells the stories of the first female monarchs on the English throne. For Gareth, Jane is a fascinating character, though usually portrayed as a pawn in the power struggle going on around her.
On closer inspection, through her biographies and letters, we meet a dynamic young woman who knew her own mind and stayed true to what she believed in even if it meant paying for it with her life. Similarly, the early period of Mary’s reign offers an opportunity to explore the reasons and motivations that led her down a path that earned her the moniker “Bloody”.
