The Last Wife
“Where Hennig succeeds so powerfully is in her extremely incisive approach to presenting these grand historical figures as relatable human beings”
Australian Stage
“All hail The Last Wife”
★★★★
NOW Magazine
“The Last Wife is a superb first play”
Toronto Star
“A very smart piece of writing”
Chicago Tribune
“Funny and fanciful… entertaining and absorbing”
The National Post
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Wilde Tales
Cyrano de Bergerac
Mother's Daughter
The Virgin Trial
The Last Wife
A contemporary retelling of the compelling relationship between Katherine Parr and Henry VIII, The Last Wife is a funny, powerful examination of patriarchy, sexual politics, and women’s rights.
Katherine Parr is smart, confident, and passionate: a rising star in a world of intense competition. But her obligatory marriage to Henry is rife with the threat of violence and the lure of deceit; her secret liaisons with Thom, her husband’s former brother-in-law, could send her to an early grave; and her devotion to the education and equal rights of Henry’s daughters is putting an even bigger strain on her marriage. Does Kate risk her life to gain authority in both her relationship and her political career? Which love will she be led to if she follows her heart? And what kind of future is there for her children if she makes a crucial mistake?
Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press, 2015
Materials: Script available upon request
Selected Production History:
Stratford Festival (Stratford, ON); Belfry Theatre (Victoria, BC); Great Canadian Theatre Company (Ottawa, ON); Timeline Theatre (Chicago, IL); Soulpepper Theatre (Toronto, ON); Globe Theatre (Regina, SK); Cygnet Theatre (San Diego, CA); Alberta Theatre Projects (Calgary, AB); Centaur Theatre (Montreal, QC);
WAM Theatre (Lennox, MA); Main Street Theatre (Houston, TX); Theatre 40 (Los Angeles, CA); Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli, AUS)
