Play Details
Context
Place Premiered
Blackfriars Theatre, London (1614)
Artistic Director
William Gaskill, Lindsay Anderson & Anthony Page
Dates Performed
Monday 18th January 1971
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Form
Play Details
Synopsis
A grand Italian court becomes a stage for treachery, forbidden love, and brutal revenge.
The widowed Duchess of Malfi secretly marries her steward Antonio, defying her controlling brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal. When the marriage is discovered, the brothers’ rage leads to a cascade of violence and tragedy. The Duchess and her children are murdered on Ferdinand’s orders, carried out by the conflicted assassin Bosola.
Webster’s masterful tragedy explores themes of corruption, madness, and the abuse of power. The play’s dark atmosphere is punctuated by moments of lyrical beauty and profound insight into human nature. As the body count rises, even the villains fall victim to their own machinations, leading to a bloody and haunting conclusion.
Cast & Creative
Cast
Derek Carpenter
Cast
Judith Copeland
Cast
Oliver Cotton
Cast
Anthony Douse
Cast
Desmond Gill
Cast
Christine Hargreaves
Cast
Victor Henry
Cast
Andrew Neil
Cast
Judy Parfitt
Cast
Brian Prothero
Cast
Shelia Scott-Wilkinson
Cast
Gregg Smith
Cast
Kevan Stoker
Cast
Donald Sumpter
Cast
Gareth Thomas
Cast
Malcolm Tierney
Cast
Anthony Trent
Cast
Eric Woofe
Cast
Henry Woolf
Designer
William Dudley
Costume
Deirdre Clancy
Sound
The Gentle Fire
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