‘1599 – A True Story of the Elizabethan Court’ is a content-rich educational/cultural docudrama, exploring what life was really like at court during the late Tudor period.

Narrated by Christopher Eccleston and presented by Clare McGlinn.
All net profit to charity.

The Story

‘1599’ is about two young people from Ordsall Hall in Salford – Margaret Radclyffe was a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I and her twin brother, Alexander, was a friend of the foremost celebrity of the day, the Earl of Essex. We see court life and the topics of the day through their eyes and experience their story as it unfolds. The drama is elucidated by the narration and the topics covered are further fleshed out in the documentary interviews, in which we follow Clare McGlinn on her quest to discover more about Margaret and Alexander, in parallel to the drama being played out.

The Components

• Drama (shot on location at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire; with a specially recorded period soundtrack) - 40 mins
• Voiceover narration by Christopher Eccleston - 18 mins
• 9 documentary-style interviews conducted by actress, Clare McGlinn (interviewees range from academic specialists to present-day musician, Peter Hook, and the locations are all historic/iconic landmark buildings) - 39 mins

The Products

A 97-minute docudrama on DVD and a CD of period music by John Dowland (18 tracks, 54 minutes), some of which also features in the film. These are currently available together in a DVD+CD boxed set; and the CD entitled ‘Sweet Stay A While’ is also available separately.

A background information document is available: 1599 background info (PDF).

Key Cast and Crew

Narrated by Christopher Eccleston
Presented by Clare McGlinn

Anarosa de Eizaguirre as Margaret Radclyffe
Charlie Allen-Wall as Alexander Radclyffe

John Dowland Music performed by La Brigata

Writer/Executive Producer/Producer: Claire Hunt
Associate Producer/Editor: Will Selden
Documentary Director: Paul Anderton
Drama Director: Jon Carter
Drama Set Producer: Paul Turley

See complete film credits