una Marie Antoinette never seen. Free, independent, feminist in her own way. And, above all at the beginning of his years at the court of France, burdened by aextreme anxiety and a sense of inadequacy in the face of duties imposed by the Crown. The new series Maria Antoniettaavailable from today February 15th on Sky Series And streaming on Nowfrom a new interpretation of the last Queen of theancien regime. Gone down in history for her frivolity and for that embarrassing phrase: «If they have no more bread, let them eat brioche». Incapable of understanding the malaise of the people throughout her life, and up to the guillotine, Marie Antoinette was however also much more. And this series describes them well lesser-known aspects of his life: not only the comfort, but also its traumas and hostilities with which he had to deal.
Maria Antonietta, the cast And the plot of the Sky series
To interpret the protagonists, the little known, but convincing, Emilia Schule as the Queen e Louis Cunningham in that of the Dauphin – future Louis XVI.
This first season of the new Sky series takes into consideration the first ten French years (1770-1780) of the Archduchess of Austria Marie Antoinette (Emilia Schule), daughter of the mighty empress Maria Theresa of Austria that for a political agreement (the alliance between France and Austria against Poland) he betrothed her to Louis Augustus of Bourbon, future King of France.
The rebellious adolescence of the last queen of France
Marie Antoinette was 14 when she left Austria. She has all the levity and fervor of a teenager, on top of that rebel by nature. Allergic to court formalisms, she has to learn, reluctantly, the strict French protocols. The bow, the way you walk, the composure. But she turns everything into a game to be ironic about.
Reality presents itself to her cruelly in 1770 when he gets off the Austrian carriage to cross the French border. It is located in front Madame Étiquette (Laura Benson), very rigid and severe grand mother of the house, in charge of teaching her the French royal etiquette. Right away it’s a shock. Marie Antoinette is forced to separate from her beloved Pug, and is beaten because hugs are not expected. There is room only for formal bows. But the worst comes when he gets to know the rest of the royal court.
Emilia Schule and Laura Benson. (Sky)
Marie Antoinette’s debut at Versailles
Frightened as ever, Marie Antoinette makes her debut at Versailles. She immediately she is scrutinized with hostility by Victorie and Adelaide (Caroline Piette and Crystal Shepherd-Cross), daughters of the King, aunts of the Dauphin, sour spinsters committed to enforcing court etiquette, but not very elegant at the table (the suction to eat the soup is not expected from them). They are only ready to criticize the newcomer and soon plot against her.
Caroline Piette and Crystal Shepherd-Cross play the aunts. (Sky)
He knows Provence (Jack Archer), younger brother of the Dauphin. Consumed by envy at not being able to become King, he vents his hatred using sharp and vulgar irony.
She is impressed by the fluency of Madame du Barry (Gaia Weiss), uninhibited lover of the King, who at one point is joined to teach her the art of seduction. But when Marie Antoinette discovers that she is a former prostitute, feels betrayed, reacts by avoiding her and she takes revenge trying to oust her from court.
Instead, he seems friendly and courteous King Louis XV (James Purefoy). In reality, Marie Antoinette soon realizes that her kindness can turn into perfidious malice.
The only one he can count on and the reserved and shy Lamballe (Jasmine Blackborow), young Italian widow (described as one who always arrives late for appointments), member of the royal family by marriage. The French court, therefore, for the Dauphine proves to be a hostile and dangerous place. His only desire is to run away, but he can’t do it. So he chooses it as a defense weapon the isolation.
Jasmine Blackborow. (Sky)
The Dauphin, future King Louis XVI: hostile and incapable in bed
But the worst trauma for Marie Antoinette is having to be the Dauphin’s wife. Louis Augustus (Louis Cunningham), future King Louis XVI, is just a teenager (he is 16 years old) when he meets the Dauphine. Introvert, passionate only about hunting, disinterested in everything (even towards basic cleaning, so much so that stinks and hates bathing), welcomes Marie Antoinette with a snout. Avoid talking to her. He doesn’t look at her. He scans her. More than fear his is groundless contempt. On the day of the wedding, she shakes and can’t put the ring on her. On their wedding night, he turns away.
For Marie Antoinette it is a very big problem, because the his main duty of future Queen is to give an heir to the crown. But she, although beautiful, knows nothing about seduction and intimacy. And the fact that she is not fertile (when she arrives she, she hasn’t had her period yet) becomes an awkward at first political case which worries Louis XV.
Maria Antonietta fashion icon and the heir problem
Over the years, Marie Antoinette learns to deal with the dangers of Versailles. And when she becomes Queen in 1774, after the death of King Louis XV, he also began to feel comfortable at court. The reason is simple: she is finally dictating the rules.
It abandons itself to frivolities. Becomes fashion icon. It shatters formalisms as much as it can. In his own way it becomes what we would call today symbol of feminism and freedom.
But she is always obsessed by the same duty that is required of a sovereign: give an heir to the King. With the help of his brother, Emperor Joseph II, she and her husband manage to consummate the marriage. She becomes pregnant but gives birth to a girl, Maria Teresa. The problem of the male heir remains. And when her mother dies in 1780, she is desperate.
The comparison with Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola
At first pressing and at times distressing as if it were a psychological horrorthis new series then develops into a ruthless tale of perfidious court dynamics. THE psychological implications are everything. The there is no romance. But waiting to find out how Marie Antoinette unravels, caged in what it’s still a fairy talegets the viewer glued to the screen.
The desire to make comparisons with Marie Antoinette, 2006 film by Sofia Coppola with Kristen Dunst, pass quickly. The protagonist of this series it almost turns out to be another character. More combative and anxious. Anyway difficult not to become attached to this unpublished Delfina-Reginaso unconventional, free, but terribly alone.
Looking forward to the second season, up to the guillotine
Maria Antonietta of Sky is a series ccrime and written by Deborah Davisnominated for an Oscar for The Favourite, composed in total of eight episodes. It is expected that they will be released two every Wednesday starting February 15th. Almost obvious second (and possibly third) season. Certainly there are things to tell: the birth of the male heir, the years of squandering at court, up to the tragic death on the guillotine of the French Revolution in 1792.
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED