Press
Packs
 The Virgin Queen
|
 |
|
The Virgin Queen
Starts on 91Èȱ¬ ONE on Sunday 22 January at 9.00pm
Ìý
Ian Hart plays William Cecil, later Lord Burghley
Ìý
He's already been at work for five hours, but Ian Hart hasn't yet uttered a word.
Ìý
He's spent that time in make-up being transformed into Elizabeth's Secretary of State, Lord Burghley – a transformation that takes so long because 40-year-old Ian is playing Cecil from the last days of Mary right through to his death at the age of 78, a span of over 40 years.
Ìý
"My dad's 78 and he sounds the same as the way I remember him when he was 40," says Ian. "He's a bit slower physically but he's not doddery, so I decided not to go that way with Cecil.
Ìý
"I do get a grey wig and beard and prosthetic make-up though – it takes five hours," he adds with a wry smile.
Ìý
"The downside of this job is you have to get in at the crack of dawn because you still have to start work at the same time as everyone else!"
Ìý
The upside is playing the man who, more than anyone, helped the Queen shape Elizabethan England into such a successful and influential era. Yet Cecil came from relatively humble beginnings.
Ìý
"His family was quite wealthy, but they were members of the middle classes, not the aristocracy," explains Liverpudlian Ian, who's no stranger to playing real people – his credits include John Lennon in Backbeat, Daniel Defoe in Robinson Crusoe, Nobby Stiles in Best, Brian Keenan in Blind Flight and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Finding Neverland, not to mention the famous fictional characters Dr Watson in two recent 91Èȱ¬ TV Sherlock Holmes specials and Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone.
Ìý
"Cecil's father was one of the Welsh mafia – called the Tafia – who were the backers of Henry Tudor; the Tudor family came from South Wales," continues Ian.
Ìý
"The middle classes were obsessed by the monarchy, and Burghley's father sent his eldest son to study purely for this purpose – to be a Privy Councillor – and it paid off in the end. So his position was almost as pre-ordained as Elizabeth's."
Ìý
He was so skilled that having worked for "the previous administration", as Ian puts it, was no obstacle to a position of power with Elizabeth.
Ìý
"Like all good civil servants, if you're that good at your job, no matter who changes at the top you stay in your position. Burghley was basically a very loyal man who's enamoured by the monarchy to such a degree it's almost religious – he thinks the Queen is placed by God, and so he continued throughout his entire life to serve her as best he thought."
Ìý
But even while working for Mary, he was preparing things in case Elizabeth should succeed her.
Ìý
"The guy that basically taught Elizabeth everything was Cecil's old tutor – Cecil himself appointed him, so even from a very early age, before she even became Queen, he was laying the groundwork for his own future.
Ìý
"Then he made himself indispensable by getting rid of everybody else she may have relied on. The one spanner in the works was Dudley because that's an emotional thing and you can't take account of that kind of thing, though he made very many efforts to get rid of Dudley as well.
Ìý
"But he's a clever, wise man who's sitting there being a mover and shaker, and only when it came to emotional matters does he have a problem."
Ìý
One way of dealing with that was by being as unemotional as possible in his own relationships.
Ìý
"He deliberately does not give away who he is," says Ian. "That's one of the things you can't do – if you give people a little chink then they'll find your weakness and destroy you.
Ìý
"And a lot of people wanted to get rid of him, because no one could get promoted while he was in charge; anyone else who came in through the ranks of the Court and who wanted to get into a high position, they couldn't – he blocked it. He blocked it because he couldn't control it and anything he couldn't control he stopped happening.
Ìý
"Norfolk tried to get him killed twice, but he survived. You have to be invisible, in the background, watching and taking note but certainly not being involved. It's like being a priest."
Ìý
Certainly Elizabeth confided in him on most matters, and in fact he was the first person she made a lord upon becoming Queen.
Ìý
"It was a regi-peerage so his son became somebody too, and he even got his son the same job in the end," reveals Ian.
Ìý
"It was the best that could be achieved for somebody of his status in society; they didn't have this thing that we have now in the 21st century – it's my right to be happy. In the 16th century your right was to serve; being happy was neither here nor there."
Ìý
He pauses, then grins. "Mind you, you have to say that he became very rich out of the process, so he didn't do too badly!" he laughs.
Ìý
|
Printable version