Richmond Killed Rudolph; Henry the Eighth, I Am; Aloof Whiskers; Sounds of the Trojan Explosion; Team Shelter.

RVA 5x5 - December 4, 2023

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You can find the 5 main stories from Friday’s edition here, and today features the “ALT 5” stories for a nice, leisurely, read. Enjoy!

This week check out our five stories on:

• A chance to seek an audience with King Henry VIII at Agecroft Hall — which actually existed in England when Henry ruled.

• Some great quotes in fond remembrance of WonTon the cat who ruled the roost at Chop Suey Books since 2008.

• The Christmas parade took place this past weekend and the RTD recalls the year 2010 when Richmond killed Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with the pop heard ‘round the world.

• Some positive news on the city’s and other volunteer’s efforts to help house and feed those without shelter and in need this winter as the mercury begins to drop.

• The Virginia State University Trojan Explosion Marching Band gets recognized as one of the best in the country and will head to Atlanta next week to prove it!

THE ALT 5

ALT #1 — OFF THE BEATEN PATH: "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am"
Richmond has the unique distinction of not only having a 16th Century English Tudor Manor that was relocated here 100 years ago, but it also serves as the stage for the fabulous summertime Shakespeare Festival as if The Bard himself chose the location.

Now, Richmonders will have the opportunity to see a world-reknowned historical portrayal of Henry VIII in “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience with Henry VIII” to Agecroft Hall for two performances December 13 and 20th. Karen Newton has a great story in Style Weekly about United Kingdom-based performance artist John White who not only looks like Henry VIII (that’s him in the picture that almost looks like a painting), but he and his family even live in a Tudor cottage in the U.K. from circa 1500.

White was already heavily engaged in performance history, portraying mainly Georgian-period characters at historic venues. It was his wife who suggested that he portray Henry and the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne in 2009 was the catalyst for putting the show together.

Agecroft audiences can expect a dramatic interpretation of the King’s life, his 38 years on the throne and much of what happened in those years in addition to the saga of his six wives. “The audience [is] taken on a journey through his life and significant events are linked together in a dramatic style,” says White. “Henry is large and loud and, when it comes to the Q&A that follows act two, he’s often quite rude. But he is the King.”