There is no escaping the fact that in looks, physical size, and shape, John White bears a strong resemblance to Henry VIII.

Based in the Midlands of England in the County of Worcestershire, White and his family live in a circa 1500 black-and-white thatched Tudor cottage, making history a way of life. The United Kingdom-based performance historian recalls that when his daughter, Elizabeth, was little, the family would often visit historic houses and, if there was a portrait of Henry VIII, she would point at it and say “Daddy.”

By then, 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.

Since then, White has toured the show in various formats, across England and in Virginia. “I’ve performed as Henry many, many hundreds of times,” he says. “As an aside, family research revealed that King Henry VIII is my 21st cousin, six times removed. So I feel being related adds to my portrayal.”

White brings that performance, appropriately titled “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience with Henry VIII” to Agecroft Hall for two performances this month. The show is set in the year 1544, which enables it to be a retrospective review of the King’s life. In the course of the narrative, the King’s wives and children are all referred to in detail. “There is anger, sadness and sorrow, and a great deal of volume,” he says. “Henry is a loud and angry man.”

The success of White’s performances speaks to an enduring fascination with the Tudors. He points out that the 16th century was a colorful and bloody time, frequently causing modern day audiences to marvel at the brutality of all those executions. “But we consider those events from a 21st century perspective and our norms, values, and mindset are so very different,” he says. “That, I feel, is central to the fascination.”

The costume White wears is complicated and because he wanted the most accurate historical reconstruction of all the garments, it took over two years to have it constructed and ready for the 500th anniversary events. Since then, he’s appeared at countless venues, including castles, historic houses, schools and colleges, arts centers and libraries. Prior to COVID, he regularly appeared at Windsor Castle, on behalf of the Royal Household, performing as Henry to visiting students.

In 2018, he revised the show’s format and created a one-man, two-act, theatre show titled “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience with King Henry VIII” which continues to tour theatre venues across England. Next year he’ll appear as Henry in the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace as an element of the current exhibition of Holbein art.

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.”

Agecroft’s Curator of Education Jill Pesesky says part of their mission is to educate the public on the history of Tudor and Stuart England. “Henry VIII is a towering figure of this time period who has a lot of mythology surrounding him,” she says. “This performance is a way to educate an interested public in the details of his life in an entertaining way.”

Because of all the misinformation about Henry VIII out there, White strives for accuracy and authenticity, attempting to set the record straight and draw attention to often overlooked aspects of his life and character. He’s learned that the King was a complex character in some respects but also simple, almost childlike, in others. He points to character traits that were unpleasant and disappointing – and not just in how he treated his wives – saying, “I don’t think that on a personal level he was a likeable individual, but as King, he was able to be as he wished.”

A lifelong student of history, White continues to research the man he portrays, learning that Henry had a vast amount of property and possessions that included 60 castles, houses, and lodges. “But, amongst all of that, he owned a South American Grey Parrot as a pet,” he says. “We’ve searched and searched to find out what the parrot was called but, so far, to no avail. Now that’s a fact I would like to know!”

“Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience with Henry VIII” takes place on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, 7 p.m. at Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Rd. Agecrofthall.org