- Vivat! Vivat Regina!
"Vivat! Vivat Regina!" is a Tony nominated play written by
Robert Bolt . The played made its debut at Chichester in 1970, and later had a successful run on Broadway in 1972.The play tells the story of two rival monarchs who never met: Scotland's Mary Stuart (a.k.a.
Mary, Queen of Scots ) and her cousin, England's QueenElizabeth I .The first act contrasts the personalities of the two monarchs, as they engage in a battle of wiles. Elizabeth is portrayed as a woman who has given up on love and family in order to maintain a firm grasp on power, while Mary is portrayed as a reckless, impulsive woman ready to risk power for love.
The second act concentrates on Mary's term as a prisoner of Elizabeth, during which time she reflected on her own pending execution.
Eileen Atkins played Elizabeth in the play's British and American debuts. Bolt's wifeSarah Miles played Mary in the original British production, whileClaire Bloom played Mary in the play's Broadway debut.The play was, next to "
A Man for All Seasons ", Bolt's most successful stage production, receiving several Tony nominations for its Broadway production.Trivia
The play's title is Latin for "Long live! Long live the Queen!"
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