My Lady Jane
History is written by the winners. And men (who also happen to be the winners). But My Lady Jane, Meredith Glynn and Gemma Burgess’ swashbuckling re-telling of the life of the ephemeral Tudor queen, rewrites that history. For so long, Lady Jane Grey has been the archetypal damsel in distress, a pawn within the patriarchal hegemony of hereditary privilege. But here, she’s the courageous architect of her own destiny. Based on the series of novels by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane imagines a different life for the reluctant would-be queen, one in which she stands defiant in the face of phallocentric oppression (embodied, quite literally, through the ubiquity of codpieces), and a toxic mother to boot – played by the riotous Anna Chancellor.
Directed by queer icon Jamie Babbit, of But I’m a Cheerleader fame, the series is snappy and slick in its execution (no pun intended). Liberally taking inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, a film that was infamous for its historical inaccuracy, the series is set against a modern soundtrack comprised of the likes of Tegan and Sara, Wet Leg and Kate Nash. It’s a defiantly feminist take on the period, bestowing the titular tragic heroine a voice that has been suppressed through centuries’ of telling and re-telling.
Alongside partly improvised, rapid-fire dialogue, the narrative moves with a brisk pace, grounding numerous characters within a short space of time. American Emily Bader is outstanding as Lady Jane, her English accent never once faltering. Likewise, Edward Bluemel imbues Lord Guildford with equal amounts of smarm and charm, as he and Bader sizzle with palpable chemistry onscreen. The pair’s interactions hark back to the quintessential to-and-fro, lust-and-disgust relationships of classic romcoms. Moreover, stepping out of his comfort zone with a distinctly dastardly role, Rob Brydon, playing Lord Dudley, lends a sardonic wink and a nudge to proceedings. Admittedly, some of the fantastical elements detract from what could have been a sincere feminist revenge tale, but it’s a minor blot on an otherwise subversive take on an alternate historical reality.
In an industry that has made millions out of romanticising the suffering of women, the series is a welcome antidote to a much tired, and ultimately pernicious, narrative. With an idiosyncratic creative flair and even greater artistic licence, My Lady Jane is a colourful re-imagining of one of the darkest chapters in British history.
Antonia Georgiou
My Lady Jane is released on Prime Video on 27th June 2024.
Watch the trailer for My Lady Jane here:
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