James V: Katherine at The Eastgate
Excited audiences packed into The Eastgate Theatre this week for the touring production of Rona Munro’s latest play ‘James V: Katherine’. Stunned theatre goers were given a real treat across two sold out evenings, with one being overheard to say it was ‘the best I’ve seen here in 20 years’. Borders based playwright Munro has been exploring the Stewart Kings since her trilogy of James I – III, memorably produced by The National Theatre of Scotland in 2014. She followed this up with 2022’s ‘James IV: Queen of the Fight’ and has now reached James V with Katherine. As the plays have moved on, the focus has moved away from the titular monarchs, with Katherine Hamilton very much being the star of this show. Katherine, who was a real historical figure, is put on trial for her religious convictions, having already seen her Lutheran (and potentially neurodiverse) brother having been burned at the stake. These events really happened, and were important in the Scottish Reformation, with Munro using the painful journey from Roman Catholicism to Protestant Presbyterianism in Scotland to make her own points about love, power and faith.
The original trilogy, and Queen of the Fight, were larger scale productions however Katherine is deliberately scaled down, allowing it to tour to all corners of Scotland. This intimacy also helps the drama, with The Eastgate being the perfect stage for the shows pared down, up close drama. As Katherine, Catriona Faint was able to flip between gallus banter and deep courage, gripping the audience throughout. Munro included a romantic angle to the story with Alyth Ross as naïve but loving Jenny, her love story with Katherine giving this otherwise brutal story a warm heart. Her love of Berwick Upon Tweed became a comedic highlight with the Borders crowd in Peebles! Benjamin Osugo had twin roles as both doomed Patrick Hamilton and the pious courtroom interrogator. It was in the former that this talented performer really shone, with Hamilton’s deep conviction which helped to fuel the reformation in Scotland being balanced by his growing detachment from the world around him. Rounding out the small cast was Sean Connor as a Constable of the Catholic Church, and later James V. In the former he brought humour and swagger to a dark role - he dared us to laugh at the prospect of people being burned at the stake. As the King, he was a charismatic, spoilt Rockstar with a dark heart and the heavy weight of the divine crown. An extremely captivating performance of a complex figure in Scottish history.
Director Orla O’Loughlin has created a entertaining theatrical show, with the audience invited into this fraught, but often very funny world. All the technical elements worked well in The Eastgate, the lighting, haze and sound complimenting the stark, minimalist staging.
Like all good theatre should, this play lead to a very animated conversation on the way home. Scotland’s history is a source of huge fascination to me, and millions of others, but it can be easy to forget the real human cost of periods like the reformation when looking at dates and places. Drama has the power to bring this to life, and leave us questioning what we thought we knew. One thing clear by the end of this fine production was that love will always be the right choice.
