Dyad Production's That Knave Raleigh

Since we discovered Dyad Productions a few years ago, we have become keen fans, and enjoy keeping our eyes open for all of their performances. We have loved Austen’s Women, Lady Susan and A Room of One’s Own, as well as I Elizabeth and a Christmas Carol.

So, when we spotted That Knave, Raleigh at the Old Laundry in Bowness on Windermere, we booked tickets immediately. 

I’m rather surprised to say that we weren’t totally blown away with the performance. Andrew Margieson, the actor who brought Raleigh to life, was absolutely amazing. He inhabited the character, and became Sir Walter Raleigh right in front of our eyes. However, and I do wish there wasn’t an “however”, we both found the material very dark. The performance focussed on Raleigh’s time in the Tower of London, his reprieve from death (a bit too much information here..); his failed mission to discover Eldorado and, finally, his execution. Along the way we suffered with Raleigh the death of his son, his fall from grace, a failed escape from imprisonment and so much more. This wasn’t the uplifting evening of theatre we were hoping for!

There was an awful lot to like in the production. Dyad Productions are known for turning literary and historical figures into relatable, convincing people — from Elizabeth I to Virginia Woolf, and now Sir Walter Raleigh. “You get so much from the facts, but eventually, you have to breathe life into them,” says Rebecca Vaughan, the producer in this instance. “They aren’t just names, dates, and battles, they are contradictory and human, make mistakes and find successes.” With meticulous research ensuring authenticity and an artistic vision that infuses raw, human emotion, Dyad crafts theatre that is as truthful as it is compelling. 

Previous audiences have described the play as an “Elizabethan thriller,” praising its theatrical magical realism and the way it breaks the fourth wall, drawing spectators in as both confidants and witnesses to Raleigh’s fate. 

So, whilst I totally agree with all of these comments, and appreciated The Knave, Raleigh as a piece of excellent theatre, I wasn't drawn in as I normally am with Dyad Productions. Maybe I was simply in the mood to be uplifted not saddened. It's probably just that simple.