COURT OF KING JAMES I

MOORE LEADS CAST THROUGH TWISTING AND TURNING INTRIGUE

By PETER THOMAS BUSCH

King James found happy peace for England by uniting Scotland and England under a single Crown and then extending that same overture of peace to France and Spain.

Tony Curran plays a celebratory King James I, inside a merry court during the peacetime he created for England during his reign. The court is not absent of politics though, as the rival political groups within the king’s court position themselves for wealth, power and influence over the British rule.

King James I, may be merry, but he is not a fool.

The 7 part Sky/STARZ series has an ensemble cast of historical characters, such as Francis Bacon, Edward Coke and Walter Releigh.

Director Oliver Hermanus first introduces the composition of the King James court while incrementally underscoring the ambitious plans being developed by Mary Villiers in the deep background.

Villiers, played by Julianne Moore, after discovering that her son is a bisexual, wants her son to replace the King’s male lover, the Earl of Somerset, played by Robert Carr.

Somerset’s position next to the King comes with considerable delegated power to direct other members of the court.

The series begins here and then twists and turns through various sexual and political intrigues as Mary Villiers gradually makes her way closer to the King, by first becoming the Countess of Buckingham, through her son’s connection inside the court, and then as herself, a close confident to the King.

Moore plays the role through various emotional phases of the character, first as plane old Mary trying to assert herself without the respect of others already in positions of influence, and then second, as Mary gradually building more confidence as her power and influence become more certain.

Mary, of course, gets further inside the court, only through a bit of political skullduggery, including the elimination of rivals who have threatened her progress forward.

Moore shows how Mary becomes simultaneously more confident in her quest and also more ruthless toward all the barriers that stand in her way.

Nothing, though, is quite possible without her handsome son, George, played by Nicholas Galitzine. George eventually replaces the Earl of Somerset, with the narrative, then, truly only getting started.

Samuel Blenkin plays Prince Charles, the King’s son and only heir to the throne. Charles must stumble along inside the court less favoured by his father than those in the court merely positioned as sources of entertainment for the King.

Prince Charles is well aware of the celebratory nature of the court, and for that very reason, he does not like George at all. Charles remains in the deep background for several episodes until George and his close friend and confident, Francis Bacon, come to the realization that Charles is next in line to be King, and the transition in power will perhaps arrive much sooner than later.

Writer D.C. Moore does a good job simplifying complicated political positions while maintaining themes of homosexuality and bisexuality, and the ruthlessness of the people beside the King when they are not happy.

The King maintains authority in part by his swift administration of justice for anyone that betrays him or puts his reign in jeopardy. D.C. Moore describes King James I as enjoying the peace he has created but being rather vigilant and assertive in keeping it how he made it.

Casting by Jessica Mescall and Maximillian Murphy helps tell the story, especially with the characters made up a bit more by the hair and makeup design of Paul Gooch. The historical costumes round together the cast for this period piece.