Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Max Irons, Janet McTeer, James Frain, Robert Pugh, Juliet Aubrey, Caroline Goodall, Aneurin Barnard, David Oakes, Ashley Charles, Amanda Hale.

The demand for some sort of history is never truly satisfied or sated and after many years of watching Sky have a tight grip on historical dramas in screening of The Tudors, the B.B.C. finally get to dip their feet in the murky waters of the British Royal family in the adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen.

Thanks to The Tudors, The U.K. audience and all those countries that sit avidly eating up anything about the history of Great Britain that is fed to them on a very large debatable spoon, all are now experts on the goings on the family that took England out of the Medieval period and into the era of enlightenment, except for most of it was arguably over exaggerated, expanded and relished and that is putting it mildly. The same could be happily inscribed by a thousand writers with a studious pen of the history before the Tudor dynasty got its claws into the throne of England. However, in some cases inaccurate it nevertheless is a ripping tale and for once the star of a history-ish lesson is much more admirable than the man who would sit on the throne within 50 years.

The White Queen looks at the life of Elizabeth Woodville, the wife of Edward IV and in the opening episode was portrayed with quiet elegance by Rebecca Ferguson. Perhaps a bit too quiet as the only time she showed any type of fight was after meeting Edward for the third time she threatened to take her life rather than let him be dishonourable towards her. It may be easy to dismiss this in one episode as a miscasting; it certainly isn’t anything of the sort, as the timid nature of someone in the period, a woman standing up to the King is less pouncing toothless badger but more proud lioness biding her time with her prey.

Where the episode certainly sparked with vitality and vigour was with the great Janet McTeer and James Frain as Jacquetta, Lady Rivers and Lord Warwick respectively. Janet McTeer never seems to get the credit she deserves and in a character that certainly in life was interesting, she may finally get the recognition that for so long seems to have passed her by.  James Frain over the years has become so entrenched in historical dramas that it is a wonder he hasn’t got a P.H.D. in the subject tucked away somewhere down his britches. From the despicable Thomas Cromwell in The Tudors to another King-maker in Lord Warwick without batting an eye-lid but having a presence on screen that overshadowed those of the two leads was quite remarkable.

It may not have the guts and glory of The Tudors but as a historical romance it has more than its fair share of passion and if inspires even just person to pick up a history book and learn more about the period then it cannot be all that bad.

The White Queen continues Sunday.

Ian D. Hall