Who should play Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell?

The RSC is set to stage Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. But who should play the ruthless master politician at the novels' core?

So the deal is done and the Cromwellian bandwagon has embarked on the next phase of its journey – from page to stage. The extent to which the first two parts of Hilary Mantel's trilogy have rehabilitated one of the arch-villains of British history is now part of literary history. But who is man enough to carry the name of Thomas Cromwell forth onto the boards, in the RSC's imminent adaptation of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies? Gregory Doran, the RSC's artistic director, says that he has the perfect actor in mind for the role – but for the moment his lips are sealed. "I wish I could tell you," he said tantalisingly yesterday.

Which set us thinking. It is a tricky – as well as fascinating – challenge for any actor. Cromwell was a Putney blacksmith's son who rose to the highest political position in the land, chief minister to Henry VIII, before finding himself on the wrong side of the succession game being played out by an increasingly desperate king. So applicants must be able to suggest unbleached wool while wearing velvet with swagger.

Cromwell was smart enough to lurk in the shadows of power, rather than strutting about the court, which might suggest he'd be most interestingly played by one of our great character actors – a John Shrapnel rather than a Jonathan Pryce – but, unfortunately, he was also executed at the age of 55, which rules both out on grounds of age. And Doran's ideal is a "slightly cushioned" actor, which narrows the field still further.

Yesterday, commenters pitched in, suggesting everyone from Dominic West to Rufus Sewell, both of whom could be excellent choices. But – assuming the ink on the RSC contract isn't yet dry – here are a few suggestions of our own …

Ken Stott

If casting were for visual credibility, Stott would be a shoo-in (just look at the famous large-scale Holbein portrait, now in the National Portrait Gallery). His Rebus demonstrates the rueful intelligence that is part of the Cromwell persona, but he's a bit too north-of-the-border for this scion of the Southwark streets.
 

Stephen Fry

Has the right sort of bombast for the power years, and is certainly well-cushioned, but lacks the common touch and is definitely not the lurking sort. Probably a better Wolsey.

Simon McBurney:

The founder of Theatre de Complicité is a proven shape-shifter, who would have no trouble suggesting the multiple identities of the shrewd administrator and ruthless political operator who was also a loyal family man.

Robert Lindsay

A tempting outside bet. Although best known these days for the cosy sitcom My Family, he has a much more dangerous theatrical CV. He is confident playing characters of humble origin, and intriguers, and is no stranger to the RSC, having played an acclaimed Richard III. For Cromwell's Machiavellian tendencies, he could perhaps draw on his experience playing Michael Murray, the Liverpool militant, in Alan Bleasdale's GBH.

David Morrissey

Now we're talking. An actor who looks like a policeman (and indeed has played a few in his time), but with the sort of ambushing charisma that must have been part of Cromwell's armoury, as he snaked his way up the corridors of power. He made a very credible Gordon Brown, so is no stranger to the twists and turns of the political mind.

Fiona Shaw

Right age, right stature, and a proven ability to man up to any role she's offered, regardless of gender. Possibly more of a king than a courtier, but if Mantel's audacious historical revisionism is what this production wants to convey, then who knows … Unfortunately, Doran did say: "Common sense suggests it needs to be a man."

TheatreHilary MantelClaire Armitstead
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