The Nine Days Queen (Devět dní královnou, 2008?)

This is the story of Lady Jane Grey, who, in 1553, was proclaimed Queen of England at the age of 16. Nine days later she was in the Tower of London. Within a year, she was dead.

Born into the court of Henry VIII, Lady Jane Grey was, from birth, perilously close to the English throne. Fixed in the line of succession by King Henry on his deathbed, if her cousins were to die without an heir, Jane would become queen.

Through the plotting of the Duke of Northumberland, Jane saw her place in history change overnight, as Mary and Elizabeth were again proclaimed bastards and Jane became heir presumptive in Edward’s will. On Edward’s death, 16-year-old Lady Jane was crowned as a puppet queen. But her reign was short-lived and just nine days later she was put in the Tower for treason.

The Nine Days Queen is set at the most dramatic point of Jane’s life – the trial. The play stars Loo Brealey as Lady Jane and Emma Stansfield as Nurse Ellen.

Additional parts are played by Helen Schlesinger, Anges Dromgoole, Janice Acquah, Paul Rider, Robert Lonsdale, Stephen Critchlow and Malcolm Tierney.

Producer/Luke Fresle
BBC Radio 4 Publicity

Young, beautiful and learned Jane, intent
On knowledge, fount it peace; her vast acquirement
Of goodness was her fall; she was content
With dulcet pleasures, such as calm retirement
Yields to the wise alone; — her only vice
Was virtue: in obedience to her sire
And lord she died, with them a sacrifice
To their ambition: her own mild desire
Was rather to be happy than be great;
For though at their request, she claimed the crown,
That they through her might rise to rule the state,
Yet the bright diadem and gorgeous throne
She viewed as cares, dimming the dignity
Of her unsullied mind and pur benignity.