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We were a group of four that came to see you at the Stables in Hastings. Were very impressed and were gripped by it. You held our attention and with the account, you were excellent.
2026 Dates
September 2nd Beccles Public Hall.
September 3rd Milton Rooms. Malton
September 4th Little Theatre. Skipton
September 5th Leyburn Arts Centre
September 6th Joseph Rowntree Theatre. York.
September 11th Consett Heart Arts
REVIEW . Stunning One Woman Play at Stables Theatre
SUSSEX EXPRESS
Published 14th Jul 2025, 14 By Andy Hemsley
Heather Leech gave a commanding performance of her one-woman play Anne Boleyn’s Mother at a packed Stables Theatre.
Heather is known to many as the chairman of Hastings Bonfire Society but she has long been involved in acting and performing.
Heather is known to many as the chairman of Hastings Bonfire Society but she has long been involved in acting and performing.
The play, written and performed by her, follows on from her other successful productions Guy Fawke’s Mother and King Harold’s Mother.
It centres on Anne Boleyn's mother, and her experiences during the tumultuous period of Anne's life and execution, exploring her feelings and struggles as she witnesses the rise and fall of her daughter, including Anne's marriage to King Henry VIII and subsequent execution.
The play deals with the emotional toll of losing two children to the king's machinations and the court's intrigue and examines the price of ambition, particularly within the context of the Boleyn family's rise and fall.
The stage is a pretty big space for one person to fill but Heather owned it with a compelling and powerful performance. It was compulsive viewing and I was completely transported as she conjured the past, breathing it into the here and now.
Heather never missed a beat delivering strong words and a physical performance that convincingly conveyed every moment of grief, anger and regret that Boleyn’s mother was experiencing.
Never have I encountered an hour so packed with nuance, meaningful gesture, and significance. It sped past leaving a comet trail of powerful memory in its wake.
Watching this afforded a glimpse of an unreliably documented past that rang clear and true.
If you get a chance to see this, don’t miss it.
This week Heather takes her play King Harold’s Mother on tour in the Yorkshire area.
The final part of the trilogy that sets the mother's-and the female point of view, in itself a novelty-firmly in place in our minds.
I love the Tudor period. So glad it was well explained. If I hadn't already known I would have learned a lot tonight.
A truly moving performance, bringing to life a myriad of emotions that that this mother would have felt!
A fitting end to the Trilogy of Mothers
A wonderful performance by Heather Leech. She put such feeling into the part. I could feel her pain, anguish and sorrow for her beloved daughter Anne and son George. That was quite amazing. Well done!
An absolutely brilliant performance; Heather had the audience spellbound for an hour.
Amazing sustained passion and energy that took everyone on the tragic journey to the block ! We could see Queen Anne kneeling there and feel her mother’s pain . An absolute triumph!
This is powerful. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, the writing and how she immersed herself in Elizabeth's anguish, humour and her account of such dark times in England's history.
Anne Boleyn’s Mother
The final instalment of a trio of plays featuring women who figure in the centre of English history and whose voices have never before been heard.
Wednesday 13th October 1537 another ordinary day except a new queen, Jane, has given birth to a son - an achievement beyond compare in Henry VIII’s court. Elizabeth, Countess of Wiltshire keenly feeling the loss of her son George and her daughter Anne, previous queen of England, struggles to find cause for celebration even though she fully understands the treachery that is within the English court. On the path to greatness her losses have been heavy, were they worth it?
She is Anne Boleyn’s mother and grandmother to the motherless future Queen Elizabeth I
*Loss and Grief*: Elizabeth, Countess of Wiltshire, grapples with the loss of her children, George and Anne Boleyn, highlighting the emotional toll of personal sacrifice.
*Motherhood and Legacy*: The play delves into the complexities of motherhood, legacy, and the consequences of one's actions on future generations, particularly in the context of the royal family.
*Power Dynamics and Politics*: Set in the court of Henry VIII, the play touches on the treacherous nature of politics, the role of women in shaping history in the background, and the difficult choices they must make to navigate the complexities of royal life.
*Identity and Self-Discovery*: Through Elizabeth's story, the play examines the process of self-discovery, particularly in the face of adversity, and the struggle to maintain one's identity in the midst of turmoil.
*Morality and Ambition*: The play raises questions about the morality of ambition, the cost of pursuing power, and the difficult choices individuals must make when faced with conflicting values and loyalties.
SPELLBINDING, EVOCATIVE, MOST EXCELLENT
In Rehearsal
In Rehearsal
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