That Knave, Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh spends a lot of time locked up in the Tower of London. Whether it’s for marrying the Queen’s lady-in-waiting without permission from the monarch, or treason against the King, Raleigh has found a way to live a reasonable life from within a prison cell, seemingly his only trouble being where he last had his clay pipe.

Raleigh cheats death with unusual frequency too: we’re told of death sentences aplenty, but delayed, then quashed, then renewed once more. This is a life of a true adventurer, but is he a visionary or a victim?

Dyad Productions present a one-man show about Sir Walter, performed with style, wit and a troublesome ruff, by Andrew Margerison. He starts and ends with Raleigh in the Tower, but in between, the audience is taken on exciting adventures across the seas, talking up his role in the destruction of the Spanish fleet (with Sir Francis Drake), and his final mission for a monarch, seeking the lost city of Gold in what is now Venezuela.

Yet Margerison offers more than a man with a thirst for adventure: he’s a husband, a father, and his love for his wife and son are strong: though, his opportunity to escape seems to win out most times. He’s shown as a man with a gift of oratory, with immeasurable optimism (or conceit) that his way will prevail. As Margerison performs as Raleigh, his case is persuasive, and it’s hard to argue that this didn’t serve him well.

It's a good history lesson from a great performer.

Review by Mark Wickett

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