Witty, dark, angst-ridden comedy all from the perspective of a teenage Mary Tudor… What more could you want?
Bloody Mary: Live! invites its audience into the grim and amusing mind of Mary Tudor as she rebels against her father and argues to justify the nearly 300 people she slaughtered during her reign, earning herself the nickname Bloody Mary. Walking the line between standup comedy and psychodrama, Olivia Miller’s one woman show is a feast for the mind.
Playing on the popularity of historical dramas, Bloody Mary: Live! sees a teenage Mary Tudor making a case against her father and justifying her murders in front of a modern audience. It is a whimsical and witty dialogue that is both funny and intelligent, humanizing the murderous queen and even earning her a little bit of sympathy. This performance explores both the common teenage woes, like attractive tutors and overbearing parents, and drama unique unto a young Royal like ‘my dad is literally gonna kill me if I don’t go to Court’.
Miller is an expressive and engaging performer. Her performance was lively and angst-ridden, an excellent embodiment of the oh-so-dramatic Mary Tudor. Dressed all in black with a smear of red lipstick, Miller was certainly dressed the part of the murderous teenage queen. A departure from traditional standup comedy, Bloody Mary was nearer a one act play with a full story told from the perspective of Mary Tudor. The overly open and sometimes aggressive way Mary presented her case did create a few moments of awkward discomfort but not to any detriment of the overall show.
Where Bloody Mary: Live! struggled was in its use of audience participation. While clearly meant to strengthen the audience’s connection to the tale, it was rather uncomfortable at times. Perhaps if you are someone who enjoys engagement like that, then you may very well love the way Miller draws the audience in. However the sporadic awkwardness was difficult to ignore and left a bit to be desired.
Bloody Mary: Live! is a lively and unique reimagining of Mary Tudor’s life. It lends fresh perspectives to both our understanding of her father, Henry VIII and the actions which earned the punky queen the ‘Bloody Mary’ moniker. Despite some rather uncomfortable moments of audience participation, it is a thoroughly enjoyable show. Miller is amusingly dramatic and makes a fun show of it. Far from traditional standup, Bloody Mary: Live! is a unique and engaging comedy that is definitely worth the watch!