Boudica (ITV1 2003, Alex Kingston, Steven Waddington)

Alex Kingston heads the cast in Boudica, written by Andrew Davies, the story of one of the most famous warrior queens of all time, whose name is synonymous with revenge.

Traumatised by battle, his nerve shattered, and in a bid to protect his kingdom, Prasutagus, King of the Iceni tribe, has made a pact with the Romans to become a ‘client kingdom’. In return for peace and protection from bloodthirsty neighbours the Romans demand taxation for being a part of their mighty and sophisticated Empire. Large chunks of their harvest is stored far away and sold back to them. They have to pay for the transportation and any other goods that the Romans can export are hoovered up by the tax collectors.

Boudica’s view, however, is that the Romans aren’t really human. They’ve sold themselves to a material view of the world and are soulless in comparison to the Celts.

When Prasutagus dies, Boudica finds herself in direct opposition with Nero, and a dispute over her late husband’s will leads to a humiliating public beating and the brutal rape of her two daughters.

Incensed by the brutal nature of the Roman Empire’s quest for domination, the Iceni tribe rises behind their queen in a bloody revolt.

Note: The spelling of the title (pronounced Bo-di-car) is a modern re-assessment of the warrior queen previously referred to as “Boadicia”

production details
UK / ITV1 – Box Productions / 1x120m / 28 September 2003

Writer: Andrew Davies / Music: Nina Humphrey / Executive Producers: Rebecca Eaton, Patrick Irwin, Justin Thomson-Glover, Gub Neal / Producer: Matthew Bird / Director: Bill Anderson

cast
ALEX KINGSTON as Boudica
STEVEN WADDINGTON as Prasutagus
EMILY BLUNT as Isolda
LEANNE ROWE as Siora
BEN FAULKS as Connach
HUGO SPEER as Dervalloc
GARY LEWIS as Magior
ANGUS WRIGHT as Severus
STEVE JOHN SHEPHERD as Catus Decianus
JACK SHEPARD as Claudius
GIDEON TURNER as Didius
FRANCES BARBER as Agrippina
ANDREW LEE POTTS as Nero