With a dinner break, the full "Wolf Hall, Parts One & Two" experience will set you back eight-and-a-half hours. That might seem like an impossibly long time.

But think about all the TV shows you binge watch — you know how that deepens your investment in the characters, helps you catch the in-jokes and makes you appreciate twisty plots? Same here. Think of "Wolf Hall" as a theatrical, Renaissance version of House of Cards. The more time you spend in author Hilary Mantel's world, the more obsessed with its deviousness you'll become.

That world centers around the court of Henry VIII, which is here a spare, shadowy kingdom of fire, smoke and stone, thanks to Christopher Oram's minimalist sets and ornate costumes, as well as Paule Constable's (Part One) and David Plater's (Part Two) lighting design.

Henry VIII is probably best known for his six, consecutive wives, including Anne Boelyn. The only currency worth anything in his court is gossip — and the master of gossip, the man who listens hard to both courtiers and commoners and asks the right questions is Thomas Cromwell (Ben Miles).

Cromwell the historical figure was likely not as central as the role he plays in Mantel's novels and Mike Poulton's theatrical adaptation. But the character as he's created here is a provocative anti-hero. Cromwell is ambitious for himself, for the king and for England. He arranges marriages — and be-headings. The only thing he can't arrange is for Henry to have a son.

But without an heir, the king and his advisors are worried that England might dissolve into civil war. 

How Cromwell manipulates those around him to help the king get an heir (which means, in these two parts, discarding Katherine of Aragon for Anne Boelyn and Boelyn for Jane Seymour), while all the while pursuing his own, surprising ends, is what propels the story.

Those who are used to seeing Renaissance costumes only in Shakespeare will be surprised at the quick pace of the plot and the lack of internal dialogue in the stage version of Wolf Hall, directed by Jeremy Herrin. Actually, those familiar with Mantel's books, in which we listen in on Cromwell's constant ruminations, might also be surprised at how distant Cromwell seems — the plays never give us insight into his motivations or desires.

In lesser hands, this could mean that Cromwell is chilly and unsympathetic. But the Royal Shakespeare Company's Ben Miles makes him charismatic and engaging. We really like Cromwell — which is why we ignore the cost of his ferocious ambition until the end. 

The signs, though, are there and they pile up. You might miss them if you let time go between each part. Instead, sit back, settle in, and let the treacherous, compelling power of gossip pull you into "Wolf Hall."