The Lioness (NHB Modern Plays)

Elizabeth I described herself as Queen, King and Prince, thriving in a male world, and saving the country from debt and wars. Self-proclaimed wife and mother to England, her virgin status was part of her myth, as she consistently refused marriage, citing herself as already taken. Here we see Elizabeth as both a woman and a leader as she encounters John Knox, the ultimate misogynist, and Essex, her favourite.

This play was first staged at the Traverse Theatre, in 2010 as part of the Women, Power and Politics season.