Margot Robbie Backs Ava Pickett's 1536 in West End as 8-Part TV Adaptation Advances
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Margot Robbie Backs Ava Pickett's 1536 in West End as 8-Part TV Adaptation Advances
5 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
London's Ambassadors Theatre is now staging 1536, Ava Pickett's Tudor-era debut play, after its run at the Almeida last year with backing from Margot Robbie.
Pickett, 32, said the story grew from conversations about violence against women and private fears, recasting Anne Boleyn's 1536 downfall through three working-class women in Essex.
Robbie said the play's themes feel current nearly 500 years later, arguing women are still having the same conversations, while cast members said it makes Tudor history feel immediate rather than remote.
The production has drawn strong reviews for its feminist lens, humor and central performances, and it has already been commissioned by the BBC as an eight-part drama series.
Why is a 500-year-old story about Anne Boleyn resonating so strongly with women's conversations in 2026?
How does a play about Tudor-era misogyny make audiences laugh, and what does that laughter reveal?