The Duchess of Malfi

Presented by: Masque Theatre

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0	NORTHAMPTON: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
P	Friday 5th April, 2019
N	7:00pm

Event information

One of the greatest tragedies of Renaissance drama.
"Cover her face; mine eyes dazzle…"
The Duchess of Malfi is John Webster’s masterpiece of revenge tragedy, written around 1613 when Shakespeare was writing his final play, and it was performed at The Globe with actors from Shakespeare’s company, including Burbage and Condell.

It feels more modern than that, however - despite being set in the early 1500s in Italy, its examination of power, corruption and sexual politics feels very relevant to us here and now.

Recently widowed, the Duchess of the title is urged by her brothers (a cardinal and a duke) not to remarry, as they want to re-assert their own control of her at a time when widows were the only women with any power or authority. Instead, she secretly marries her steward Antonio, a capable and kind man who is willing to remain a secret husband and not demand rule over her. Learning of this, her brothers plot their revenge, with the help of Bosola, who begins to doubt his calling as a spy and assassin in the face of the brothers’ relentless anger and venom.

Will their hatred and malice defeat their sister’s innocence and hope, or will they end up destroying themselves?
Lust, greed, love, fear, hope and anger all wage war in a play that is by turns funny, frightening, moving and disturbing.

Violent and poetical, The Duchess of Malfi is often cited as one of the greatest tragedies of Renaissance drama.