Hilary Mantell’s second Booker Prize-winning novel Bring Up The Bodies is brought to life on stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company in an adaptation by Mike Poulton.

Playing alongside Wolf Hall for its West End transfer, the production tells the story of Thomas Cromwell, by now Chief Minister to Henry VIII, whose fortunes have risen along with those of the king’s new wife Anne Boleyn. After Anne fails to give him an heir, Henry begins to fall for Jane Seymour and Cromwell must find a way to safeguard the nation and secure his own career. However, neither minister nor king will emerge unscathed from the bloody theatre of Anne’s final days.

Directed by Jeremy Herrin, Ben Miles reprises his role as Cromwell alongside Nathaniel Parker as Henry VIII, Lydia Leonard as Anne Boleyn, Paul Jesson as Cardinal Wolsey and Lucy Briers as Katherine of Aragon.

Bring In The Bodies’ prequel Wolf Hall charts Cromwell’s story from blacksmith’s boy to Henry VIII’s right hand man.