Photos: 1536 in Rehearsal at the Ambassadors Theatre

All new rehearsal photos have been released from 1536, the historical drama with a modern edge at the Ambassadors Theatre. Performances will run from 02 May to 01 August 2026. Check out the photos below!

The cast of 1536 includes, Liv Hill as Jane (Three Girls – BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress), Siena Kelly as Anna (Black Mirror, Adult Material – BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress), and Tanya Reynolds as Mariella (Sex Education, A Mirror - Olivier Award nomination Best Actress In A Supporting Role), who are all reprising their previous roles. They are joined by Oliver Johnstone as Richard (Retrograde; All My Sons) and George Kemp as William (High Noon; Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?). 

Harry Bradley (The Play That Goes Wrong; The Mousetrap) will understudy the roles of Richard and William, Saroja-Lily Ratnavel (81 (Life); Chasing Hares) will understudy the roles of Jane and Mariella and Sydney Spencer (Hamilton; The Wizard of Oz) will understudy the role of Anna.

With her recent wins for Most Promising Playwright at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award and The Standard Theatre Awards, Ava Pickett’s play was also nominated for Best New Play at the 2026 Olivier Awards with Lyndsey Turner also nominated for Best Director.

Other previous wins for 1536 include the 2024 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, a special commendation for the 2023 George Devine Award and the Stage Debut Awad for Best Writer 2025. Recently, it was announced that the BBC will be working with Ava to develop the play into an eight-part TV drama.

Kings don’t kill their wives, right? Tudor England. A field in Essex. Three women hurry to their childhood meeting place, thirsty for gossip from London.

Word spreads of a clash between King Henry VIII and his Queen, Anne Boleyn. And closer to home, another rumour begins to catch fire.

As these women begin to see echoes of the royal drama in their own rural lives, a tide of violence threatens their very existence, and they realise the royal scandal could cost them everything.

The creative team for 1536 includes; Director: Lyndsey Turner; Set and Costume Designer: Max Jones; Lighting Designer: Jack Knowles; Sound Designer: Tingying Dong; Composer and Arranger: Will Stuart; Intimacy Director and Choreographer: Anna Morrissey; Casting Director: Amy Ball CDG; Fight Director: Sam Lyon-Behan and Dialect Coach; Edda Sharpe. 

1536 is produced in the West End by the Almeida Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions, Annapurna Theatre and LuckyChap.