HENRY the Tudor Dude

Click here for details of the full unabridged version.

This is the cover of the full show published by Samuel French Ltd

• Lots of songs for everyone to sing
• Lots of short scenes (which are easy to learn!)
• Very easy for you to adapt to suit your own needs, either by cutting songs or scenes.

The life of King Henry VIII - England's most outrageous monarch - is accurately related in this rock and roll musical which has been performed by amateurs, schools and semi-pro groups, throughout the U.K. and also in such far off places as New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.

Battles with France, the reformation of the church, umpteen executions and the tale of six wives are all brought to the stage by the Tudor Newsteam in this riotous extravaganza.

The new ABRIDGED VERSION is especially suitable for large younger groups such as primary schools (ages 8-12). This version includes all the songs but cuts the dialogue to a minimum to create a show that lasts around 50 minutes with around 25 named speaking parts. The show can be further shortened by cutting some of the songs or scenes if required.

Hear the music: The complete set of songs for HENRY THE TUDOR DUDE is available here.

See the script: Please email me saying who you are and the name of your school or theatre group:

Performance Licence: Please contact Samuel French giving your school name/address and saying you want to do the abridged version of Henry:

Scenery: All that's required is a desk for the newsreaders and a throne for Henry. Of course you can add in as much extra stuff as you like!

A GOOD TIME FOR EVERYONE... We all had so much fun with "Henry The Tudor Dude" and from the cards, letters and comments I've received, the audience clearly did as well! It'll take some following! Michael Stanley, Allerton School, Northallerton. The author is reluctantly dragged on stage...

Feltonfleet School at the Epsom Playhouse 1998

Cast NEWSREADER 1 } for TUDOR NEWS NEWSREADER 2 } KING HENRY VIII EMPSON } Henry VII's tax collectors DUDLEY } EXECUTIONER THOMAS WOLSEY WAR CORRESPONDENT for TUDOR NEWS JOAN the court clairvoyant PRINCESS MARY Catherine of Aragon's daughter THOMAS CROMWELL THOMAS CRAMNER THOMAS MORE WARDER 1 WARDER 2 MIDWIFE JUDGE and of course the six wives: CATHERINE OF ARAGON ANNE BOLEYN JANE SEYMORE ANNE OF CLEEVES KATHRYN HOWARD CATHERINE PARR Plus lots of wanna-be queens, soldiers, girlfriends, crowds, jolly Germans, courtiers... Many doubles are possible. (Minimum cast about 15).

Songs The Coronation Song * - ALL The Body Rock 1 * - Crowd, Empson and Dudley I Wanna Be Queen - Court Girls The Battle Of The Spurs - Henry and Soldiers Wonderful Waste Of Time - Wolsey and Chorus Six Finger Annie * - Courtiers and Anne Boleyn Do Your Worst - Catherine of Aragon, Mary and ladies The Three Toms * - Cromwell, More, Cramner and Courtiers The Body Rock Instrumental The Body Rock 2 * - Executioner, Wolsey, Warders Rise Up (Reformation Rock) - Cromwell and ALL Blue! - Henry and Courtiers Big Bessie - Joan and Chorus The Body Rock 3 * - Judge, Jury, Anne Boleyn It's A Boy - ALL Wunderbar Anne * - Cromwell and the Germans We Know You Like A Laugh Mr Cromwell * - Judge, Henry, Cromwell and ALL This Time It's For Real - Kathryn Howard, Henry and ALL The Coronation Finale * - ALL except Henry who's dead. The Body Rock Encore - ALL * for a shorter show you could cut the songs back to this selection. The music is available on a CD of backing tracks. There are also full arrangements for Piano/vocal score Bass Guitar Drums 2nd keyboard You can hear all the songs in full at HENRY THE TUDOR DUDE SONGS

Kjartan Poskitt's published shows

HENRY THE TUDOR DUDE NELL'S BELLES FAWKES THE QUIET GUY THE RUMPELSTILTSKIN RACKET SAMMY'S MAGIC GARDEN

Henry at Bilton Grange School, Rugby - March 2005

Henry at Donhead School, March 2014

Advice on using live music or backing tracks

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