THE ANASTASIA FILE
Theatre Royal Windsor
★★★
“solid and captivating”
Anna Anderson (born Franziska Schanzkowska in 1896) famously claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna – the youngest daughter of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. The fact that she was supposed to have been murdered, along with the rest of the whole family, by Bolshevik revolutionaries cast doubt on her claim, but she stood her ground until the end. It was only after her death that DNA evidence proved once and for all that there was no match, and none of the Tsar’s daughters survived the massacre. This is no spoiler; Royce Ryton’s 1978 play “The Anastasia File” was also written before this, and consequently the conclusion is left open.
The play begins in 1920, when a young woman is pulled from a canal following a failed attempt to take her own life. Deeply troubled and apparently suffering from memory loss, she is placed in an institution while doctors and the police try to establish who she is. Convincingly portrayed by Jenny Seagrove, the woman is initially fearful of any human communication or contact, but as she is slowly and carefully coaxed out of her trauma-induced silence, clues are uncovered that suggest she is much more than she appears to be. It is evident that she is highly educated, fluent in many languages, well connected and privileged. And she possesses much intimate knowledge of the Romanov family that an outsider wouldn’t have. The authorities take her seriously, as do certain relatives of the Tsar’s family; but opinions repeatedly change throughout the play. The audience follow these shifts like a crowd on the centre court at Wimbledon. Is her memory true, or is she just an extremely skilled imposter?
Crucial to Ryton’s interpretation of the saga is the fact that an awful lot of money is at stake. If Anastasia can prove who she really is, there is a huge gold deposit in England waiting for her, left there as an inheritance by the Tsar. Two alleged aunts who visit her in the sanitorium initially recognise her as the daughter, although on discovering this goldmine rapidly change their minds and throw her identity into doubt. Rosie Thomson plays both with a mix of gravity and humour, in addition multi-rolling as various nursemaids and ancillary staff. Ashley D. Gayle adopts many characters too, switching accents and personalities with confidence and panache. Simon Shepherd is the leading investigator, and Anastasia’s closest ally. The chemistry between Seagrove and Shepherd propels the narrative, but doesn’t always lift it into the air, while the mystery never truly grips in director Roy Marsden’s wordy and static staging. The second act picks up the pace as the two protagonists become more animated, but the increase in momentum leads to a slight glossing over of her later years.
The lack of theatricality is mirrored in the sparse set. There is minimal clutter, which does allow the narrative to take centre stage. The story is fascinating in itself, but the performers seem to be relying on this intrinsic interest, rather than using the collective talent on stage to draw us in. It is a demanding play that requires close attention to the words, and we are told a lot and shown little. Shepherd captures well, however, the mix of loyalty and scepticism that his character commands, while Seagrove seizes on moments of aching vulnerability that lie beneath a veneer of arrogance and stubbornness.
We are left to make up our own minds. Even if we know the historical facts of the outcome, the show still manages to end on a question mark, which ultimately makes for an intriguing evening. We are given both sides of the story, with no verdict. After show conversations are divided but subdued; a fair reflection of the play itself that lacks tension in an otherwise solid and captivating drama.
THE ANASTASIA FILE
Theatre Royal Windsor
Reviewed on 30th September 2026
by Jonathan Evans
Photography by Simon Vail
