The Virgin Queen

[Robin]

The links below provide information on a new BBC production that is in the works.

The FIRST link provides basic information.

The SECOND link is a PDF file. You MUST have Adobe Acrobat to open the link. This link includes a cast list with Hans' name.

Further below, I included an excerpt of the PDF file that provides detailed information and the cast list.

www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/01_january/09/elizabeth_i.shtml

www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/pdfs/tv/week23/bbctvwk23_highs.pdf

Paula Milne’s powerfully-authored drama about the long and eventful life of England’siconic Queen begins filming in May for 12 weeks against a backdrop of some of Britain’s most beautiful houses and landscapes. The Virgin Queen explores the full sweep of her life, from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister’s terror; through her great love affair with Robert Dudley into her years of triumph over the Armada; and finally her old age and her last enigmatic relationship with her young protégé, the Earl of Essex.

Paula Milne says:“I have aimed for wit, hubris and humanity, written in a cinematic vocabulary – a landmark role for an actress to encompass the story of one woman’s legacy in the landscape of her own existence and world history. Above all, it is a complex love story between her and Robert Dudley, which endured from childhood to middle age.”

The cast also includes: Joanne Whalley as Queen Mary; Dexter Fletcher as the Earl of Sussex; Tara Fitzgerald as Kat Ashley; Sienna Guillory as Letttice Knowles; TomHardy as Robert Dudley; Ian Hart asWilliam Cecil; Robert Pugh as Lord Chancellor Gardiner; Kevin McKidd as theDuke of Norfolk; Hans Matheson as the Earl of Essex; Emilia Fox as Amy Dudley; Ben Daniels as Francis Walsingham; Ewen Bremner as Sir James Melville; and Bryan thingy as Thomas Wyatt.


The Virgin Queen is part of a broad portfolio of projects including To The Ends Of The Earth, Shakespeare, Bleak House, Waking The Dead and Cutting It from BBC Drama Series & Serials, headed by Laura Mackie.

For further details, please contact: AFEditorialComingsoon…Anne Marie Duff stars as The Virgin Queen in a new drama about the life of one of Britain’s greatest monarchs.

[Virgil Reality]

Well That's an attention grabbing title - glad you put the words in that order!

But seriously, let's hope it's a goer. What interesting casting - Anne Marie Duff (she of Doctor Zhivago fame) as Elizabeth and others not usually associated with the costume drama/ royalty genre.

Earl of Essex huh? Find out about him here. He wasn't in the Cate Blanchett film.

Not terribly official but a Google search revealed a site of one actress who lists The Virgin Queen 2005 on her resume and has it directed by Coky Giedroyc. Now that also sounds like an interesting departure from the other gritty stuff on her resume.

[JenoWhatIMean]

Wow, away for a week and I missed a Hans sighting and a new project in the works! Jeepers! It would be hard to match Elizabeth in telling this story. I smell a new hat to add to the list! And directed by Coky! Now that is cool!

[Lady Jane]

Oh, sounds nice ^-^ Though....somehow I can't picture Matheson in Elizabethan clothes...

Well...I think I'll just draw a sketch to see how it looks

[Virgil Reality]

I've come across a few more sites which mention Coky Giedroyc as director - and now I can type it without checking the spelling. Quite a few of the cast have worked with her before so it seems she has some say in the casting.

I think that's a good thing - I like most of the cast; those I know as good solid actors with solid resumes. Ewan Bremmer and Ian Hart were both in Mojo, Sienna Guillory was in Future Lasts A Long Time, Dexter Fletcher in Tube Tales etc. Mostly not high profile actors though, can't find any fan sites and messageboards to get their side of the story

And it's the BBC so we know we probably going to get to see it sometime Overall I'm getting a good feeling about this one. After all, if the Earl of Essex was the Queen's favourite, it must be a significant role.

What a great role for Anne Marie. Well done

[Robin]

Essex was once a prominant figure on screen. He's been portrayed by Charlton Heston, Errol Flynn, and Charles Gray, who co-starred in the famous, Oscar-winning film Cromwell (1970), with Richard Harris and Alec Guiness. Also, the tv film Gloriana (1984) was all about Essex himself.

But, I can't imagine any production ever being better than 1998's Elizabeth...

[Virgil Reality]

Well, fantastic as the 1998 movie of Elizabeth was, it only covered the early part of her life and reign. I gather this production will cover all her reign and with four episodes they ought to be able to do it with rushing through it.

Co-incidently, Channel Four are also making a mini -series about the later part of Elizabeth's reign - the part involving the Earl of Essex - with Helen Mirren as Elizabeth.

For many, it will be hard to imagine anyone other than Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth. Hard to believe she was virtually unknown outside the Australian theatre scene when she was cast. But for others Glenda Jackson's portrayal in the series Elizabeth R is the definitive one. I guess there are others who would opt for Bette Davis!

I think the Earl of Essex in Cromwell is the 3rd Earl. Our guy was beheaded in 1601.


We're used to Hans' characters meeting an untimely death but I think this is the first time his character has been beheaded

[Robin]

I nearly forgot about Elizabeth R (Glenda Jackson). Now, that was the greatest representation of Queen Elizabeth's life, ever.

[Virgil Reality]

Another article about the production

No mention of Hans, but I guess he wouldn't be sharing the screen too much with those guys as they all get the chop before the Earl of Essex (henceforth to be called EE) comes on the scene.

Maybe he gets to enjoy Glastonbury before he has to show up on set...

[Virgil Reality]

It looks like US viewers will be seeing "The Virgin Queen" too. PBS has announced that it will be in the new season of "Masterpiece Theatre"

smallscreen.monstersandcritics.com/article_1033988.php/%60Masterpiece_Theatre%60_announces_season

BBC viwers will apparently see it 'in the autumn' .

The Sunday period drama slot is to be taken by The Virgin Queen, with Anne Marie Duff as Elizabeth I and Joanne Whalley as Queen Mary. The plot follows the life of the virgin queen into her last enigmatic relationship with her young protégé, the Earl of Essex.

[JenoWhatIMean]

Double good news today! Plus another chance to introduce Hans to a couple of friends..."Oh I hear there's a good show on PBS tonight..."

[sonicfrost]

Yay!! Finally the US fans can see something recent on TV!! I'll have my VCR ready!

[mathesonadmirer]

does anyone know where it's being filmed?

[Virgil Reality]

At the BBC's Shepparton studios in London and on location at various castles etc around Britain.

See this article for details. ETA Can't get this link to work - here's an excerpt.

The multi-million pound BBC mini-series Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen is being shot on location at some of Britain's most stunning houses and landscapes - including the centuries-old castles at Alnwick, Warkworth, Bamburgh and Chillingham in Northumberland and Raby in County Durham.

Yesterday the cast and crew were filming at Warkworth Castle, which is being used to re-create the interior of the Tower of London for the four-part costumed drama which will be screened on BBC1 early next year.

Filming at Alnwick Castle will include gruesome scenes of the burning of heretics during the bitter struggles between Roman Catholics and Protestants in the mid-1500s and the other fortresses will depict various historical locations in London and the South of England.

My feeling is that they must be just about ready to wrap on principal filming. After all, if they're to screen it in November, that doesn't leave much time.

We at Hans Matheson Online would like to congratulate Anne- Marie Duff on her recent engagement to her "Shameless" co-star James McAvoy ( he who wasn't in "Deathwatch"). We wish them every happiness in their life together.

[Virgil Reality]

Co-incidently, Channel Four are also making a mini -series about the later part of Elizabeth's reign - the part involving the Earl of Essex - with Helen Mirren as Elizabeth.

Indeed they are

www.imdb.com/title/tt0465326/

Somehow i just knew Hugh Dancy would be playing the Earl of Essex.

And directed by the same guy who directed "Daniel Deronda"

Hopefully there will be more than a day between the screening of the two versions. The race is on.