Wolf Hall BBC2

[Flosshilde]

As I said, it's probably best to see it as an interpretation of the books, rather than a straight-forward daramatisation. I didn't find it in the least slow in the sense of dragging. It's good to watch something that takes its time, rather than rushing about as most Holywood films do (even though its total broadcast time isn't much longer than some films). Cromwell's personality (as portrayed in the books) came across very well, and I particularly liked the establishment of his relationship with his family.

[Barbirollians]

If it were to be a dramatisation of the books it would need to be a great deal longer than six episodes . I wonder whether it might be that generally if you have read the books that you will enjoy it more as if one knows more clearly what is going on behind Rylance's eyes as the author told us in the book . I agree with Flosshilde , I think Anne Boleyn is perhaps a little over petulant , she was no fool but otherwise the characterisation is excellent .

[aeolium]

I wonder whether it might be that generally if you have read the books that you will enjoy it more as if one knows more clearly what is going on behind Rylance's eyes as the author told us in the book .

Possibly, but any TV adaptation, whether an interpretation or a dramatisation, should not rely on the viewer having read the book but should stand on its own. After all, I would guess that most of the TV audience have not read it - and that is probably true of any adaptation of any book.

[VodkaDilc]

Possibly, but any TV adaptation, whether an interpretation or a dramatisation, should not rely on the viewer having read the book but should stand on its own. After all, I would guess that most of the TV audience have not read it - and that is probably true of any adaptation of any book.

........ but wouldn't the majority of viewers above a certain age (40ish) have 'done' the Tudors at school. I certainly covered all the Wolf Hall period for O level.

[eighthobstruction]

Three times during last nights episode, the sub-titles (I'm hard of hearing) pronounced "Mmm" as Cromwells total part in a conversation.....

[jean]

........ but wouldn't the majority of viewers above a certain age (40ish) have 'done' the Tudors at school. I certainly covered all the Wolf Hall period for O level.

Yes - but they would not have 'done' them in the way Hilary Mantel did.

They would not have been privy to Cromwell's inmost thoughts. That's what's difficult to get across on TV.

[eighthobstruction]

Mmmm....

[mangerton]

Three times during last nights episode, the sub-titles (I'm hard of hearing) pronounced "Mmm" as Cromwells total part in a conversation.....

That's not very helpful There are many ways of pronouncing "Mmm". Perhaps they should consider adding emoticons to subtitles.

I haven't seen last night's yet. That's on this evening's, or tomorrow's, viewing list.

[mangerton]

Mmmm....

And that extra "m" can make all the difference too.

[aeolium]

........ but wouldn't the majority of viewers above a certain age (40ish) have 'done' the Tudors at school. I certainly covered all the Wolf Hall period for O level.

Yes, ad nauseam, but that's not the same as trying to decipher Cromwell's thoughts from Mark Rylance's many enigmatic stares.

[eighthobstruction]

You can add an h at the beginning to extend the hyperbole....and an ! or an ? adds snap crackle pop....

[eighthobstruction]

Quite good how he 'fingered' Mark Smeaton for events later in the story....

....as he moves about courtyards there is a lack of bustling humanity....generally completely devoid in fact....

....but good the way conversations had to be sotto voce yet observed by many....

[Nick Armstrong]

Superb. Loved every minute. To my shame I've had Wolf Hall ... but haven't got round to reading it -

Same here. Revelled in Ep 1 last weekend, in fact watched it twice just to enjoy Rylance's mesmerising performance (the re-watch was triggered in fact by wanting to clarify one of the time jumps that I hadn't followed first time through). Like mangerton, the darkness didn't bother me at all (maybe this depends on individual TVs - some sets handle dark scenes much better than others where it just looks like indeterminate murk). I loved the lean minimal story telling, both in terms of shortish scenes without laboured 'exposition', the deft time shifts back and forth, and - back to this again - Rylance's ability to convey whole paragraphs with a glance, a muscle twitch or an 'Mmm' !

Episode 2 reserved for prime watching this weekend.

[Anna]

Mmmm....

It was Hmm .... as in, I have listened, absorbed, stored it away in my mind for future thought, but won't comment aloud. (At least, that's the way I heard it ....

I've just started reading Bring up the Bodies, which starts when Anne is married and ends, I presume, when she is no longer. But what about the third book, as yet unpublished, does this mean a sequel? I did read somewhere that the Tudors were still the one period in history that all schools study so people should know the basics.

[eighthobstruction]

#43....I could tell your 'Mmm' was mocking....