Martin Shaw stars as Sir Thomas More – scholar, ambassador, Lord Chancellor and friend to King Henry VIII. Above all, he is a man of integrity, loved by the common people and his own family.

When Henry demands a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, clearing the way for him to marry Anne Boleyn, the staunchly Catholic Thomas is forced to choose between his loyalty and his own conscience, committing an incredible act of defiance for which he eventually pays the ultimate price…

And so, from the opening scene we’re introduced to our narrator and ‘common man’, Paul Kemp. And what a delightful chap he is. Literally the wearer of many hats in the play (butler, jury foreman, pub landlord, boatman…) in a true breaking of the fourth wall, stylee, he regales us with who, what and even when – at one point pointing out how all the men instrumental in carrying out Henry VIII’s bidding will leave this mortal plane themselves, and when – strangely uplifting and gratifying …

Now don’t get me wrong – this wasn’t a paint by numbers dumbed down production – this device and indeed cheeky chappy provided a lightness and clarity that only proved to enrich rather than detract from the dastardly dealings playing out centre stage.

In fact it should be said that a wryness of humour was a thread throughout the production, non moreso than in the scenes featuring our good/bad old King Henry himself (Orlando James).

Now this is in alignment with the 1966 film version, when a rather ‘spirited’, nay ‘annoying’ head of state rocks up unannounced on his riverboat, strong arming himself into the hands and hospitality of the More household and its culinary offering.

Now it’s just your worst nightmare, isn’t it? It’s stressful enough when you like the person who descends upon you at short notice. But when that person is your boss, your King, your ruler…I mean, there’s barely enough time to hide the bodies. Also he’s a bit irritating to boot. I stand with Alice More (played wonderfully by, indeed, the wonderful Polly Kemp).

On a simple but effective set that smoothly transformed as a befitting backdrop to the activities playing out centre stage, it was enough to transport us out of Salford and to where we needed to be.

But what of our Man at the centre of the carry-on, Thomas More. Martin Shaw needs little to no introduction. An acclaimed actor, most may be more akin to his roles on television (me). But in the theatre, there are actors who carry with them a definite gravitas to the stage, who bring with them presence and acting ‘chops’ that hold you transfixed.

Mr Shaw is one of these actors and his performance gave a pitch-perfect reverence to a historical character noted for his steadfastness, beliefs and principles that he carried through to his death.

And speaking of his death (I don’t think this is a spoiler), watching that axe wielding down upon his neck with the immediate cut to black introduced a definite tingle to one’s spine (and I guess to all intents and purposes, so to to Thomas More’s).

The ensemble brought the required class and indeed charisma to the story.

Whether you are a theatre aficionado, a history buff, a stan of the murkiness and drama of the Tudors, all of the above or indeed none of the above, I recommend this telling of a classic text and indeed snapshot of history as there is much to enjoy and admire.

Standing ovation deserved.

A Man for all Seasons is playing at the Lowry tonight, 6 November, and tomorrow, 7 November. For full details, tickets and timings, visit the Lowry website here.