On a childhood trip to the National Gallery, the postcard I bought in the gift shop was of Paul Delaroche’s The Execution of Lady Jane Grey . I was obsessed with this tragic heroine : the 17-year-old unexpectedly named heir to Edward VI and crowned Queen of England for only nine days before she was overthrown by Mary Tudor and beheaded. In Delaroche’s painting, she is guided to the chopping block clad in white and bathed in light – a tragic pawn of powerful men.
Not so in Prime Video’s new tongue-in-cheek drama My Lady Jane . Based on Cynthia Hand’s 2016 young adult novel, the period piece applies a provocative “what if” lens to Jane Grey’s traditionally devastating story. “Damsel in distress?”, the smart-mouthed omniscient unidentified narrator scoffs.
“F*ck that!” My inner teenager is punching the air. My Lady Jane goes all in on a modern YA fantasy of Tudor England. Like Bridgerton before it, this version has diverse casting, queer subplots, and is at pains to emphasise consent when it comes to sex.
Rather than a powerless puppet, Jane is a keen herbalist and aspiring independent woman. Unfortunately, misogyny still reigns, and just like in real life, as unsuspecting Jane remains part of a plot to make her queen. Hitting certain historical beats – Jane does end up on the throne and Mary is not happy about it – the show is anchored by a pair of central performances that deliver exactly what is required.
Emily Bader’s spunky Jane and Edward Blue.
