Jake Mace
Carole Levin is the Willa Cather Professor of History and Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program at the University of Nebraska, as well as the author or editor of 16 books covering Elizabeth I and scholarly discussion on Queens.
Alongside all of this work and various other academic positions, she’s found time to write Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words, which intertwines speeches from Shakespeare to set out on creating a unique portrait of a remarkable and complex historical figure. We caught up with Carole for a pixelated pint to discuss the piece ahead of its arrival at EdFringe next month.
You can catch Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall – Haldane Theatre from August 2nd until the 17th (not the 4th or 11th) at 13:55. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Jake: Hi Carole, tell us about your show’s journey from creation to ending up at the EdFringe stage.
Carole: The earliest version of the show was composed in 2016 at the time of 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. The amazing actor Tamara Meneghini asked me to work with her on a show about Queen Elizabeth. This became Elizabeth I in Her Own Words – which mingles Elizabeth’s own letters with passages from Shakespeare. The play has gone through a number of revisions. Now we have teamed up with the award-winning director, Penny Cole of Flying Solo! Presents, who has worked with Tammy to bring our vision of Queen Elizabeth to the Fringe for 2024.
Jake: Tell us about the inspiration behind your show and why you think its themes are relevant to an audience in 2024.
What makes this work so special to me is that it is a way for people to learn about Elizabeth the queen and Elizabeth the woman. Though they never actually met, one of Elizabeth’s most poignant and difficult relationships was with Mary Stuart. There was so much gossip and rumour spread about both queens. They were cousins and rivals. Eventually Elizabeth believed (given Mary’s involvement in assassination attempts) that her Scottish cousin had to die. Lives for powerful women are still often very problematic, and lessons from Elizabeth’s life resonate today.
When Nicola Sturgeon resigned as first minister of Scotland, one of her reasons was how hard it was for her to deal with rumours about her sexuality and love life. But Queen Elizabeth’s life can be significant to any girl or woman and to the men who love them.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience will walk away thinking/feeling, and how do you aim to achieve this on stage?
Carole: Tamara Meneghini is so moving as Queen Elizabeth and the ending of the play, I hope, is really powerful as Elizabeth is stripped down to her essential self. I want the audience to feel emotionally connected to the queen, her trials and triumphs, and to think about how Elizabeth’s issues of power and identity still matter today. Most of all, I want them to say that that was an hour so well spent! Queen Elizabeth’s own words, as spoken by Tammy, will achieve this goal.
Jake: Now that we’re gearing up for Fringe season, what are you most excited for?
Carole: This is my first Fringe. And to see my play at the Fringe is one the highlights of my life.
Jake: Fitting with the themes of our magazine, if your show was an alcoholic beverage (think cocktails, shots, beers, be creative!) what would it be?
Carole: Well, I could say a Virgin Mary since Elizabeth was the Virgin Queen and Mary Stuart is talked about in the play, but since that is not an alcoholic beverage, I would say an Aperol spritz. Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif and Elizabeth had loved learning Italian, and as we see in the play, some of her experiences could certainly cause bitterness, and the vibrant orange colour suggests her hair in what turns out to a wig. The prosecco represents her sparkle and success and the club soda that she also wanted to be moderate, so a drink that is not all alcohol.
