Henry VIII and his Groom

Henry VIII and his Groom comes to the Barbican Theatre on Friday 11 September, a new play that looks at the unlikely friendship between King Henry VIII and his Groom of the Stool, William Compton. It's set in the opulent world of the Tudor court, but the focus is on the private bond between the two rather than the grand politics of the era.

For those who don't know the role, the Groom of the Stool was the servant responsible for the king's most intimate needs, and the play doesn't shy away from that. Much of the action centres on the mundane task of wiping the king's bottom, and the toilet humour is described as both sophisticated and heartbreaking. It's that strange, domestic closeness that forms the core of the story: as Henry grapples with the loss of his children, he finds solace in the company of his loyal servant Will, and their conversations evolve into a deep and meaningful bond. The Barbican bills it as a witty, thought-provoking comedy, so it's as much about grief and loyalty as it is about the laughs.

It runs from 7:30pm to 9:00pm, an hour and a half in total, at the Barbican Theatre on Castle Street in Plymouth. Tickets are tiered: £9 for 'Help You Out', £12 for General Admission, and £14 for 'Help Us Out'.