The Duchess is coming with only 4 weeks to go!

Script Edited?
Check! 

That's right folks, we have significantly cut down the play.

"Sacrilege!" 

We hear you say! 

"You have no right to chop up a classical text"

That may be so, but we have! We have removed elements that, quite frankly, make the play farcical and undermine it's tragedy. We have also removed any lines where characters explain, what is happening...whilst it's happening.Obviously during Webster's time, this was a device to fill in the gaps for the people up in the Gods, and fitted the style of the performance. But for our interpretation this is clumsy, labouring and breaks up the flow of the drama, sooo that's gone too.

Cast?

Check!

This is the first sharing of the fruits of our ensemble project. The ensemble formed in February 2015 and have been meeting weekly to develop a practice together. Rehearsals for the play began in September along with discussions and experimental sessions to test bed/ try out ideas of how we might approach the play as an ensemble.

The ensemble consists of 9 performers so we acknowledged early on that we would be challenging our performers with multiple roles, and in the true spirit of ensemble we decided we would also like a certain character to be portrayed by multiple performers. 

Not just a gimmick or a thoughtless desire to do something different with the play, (although we would never have produced the play classically...it's not our style) the notion of multiple performers to a role allows the character to be interpreted and presented in a multi-faceted manner, but also a faceless manner. Do not be seduced by the woman, keep your wits about you, and your eyes peeled for the message within the play.

Our Duchess represents the ongoing unequal treatment of women based on socially constructed gender roles; it was relevant when Webster wrote the play and it continues to be relevant 400 years later. Our interpretation of the play and our concept reflects the behaviours, rituals, activities and attributes modern society has considered appropriate for women. Our Duchess is not a woman, she is women.

Creative Team Assembled?

Check! 

We have two lovely seamstresses Joanna Oak and Becky Harrison working miracles with our Urban Decay, Milanese High Fashion (ridiculous expectations of women and obsession with physical appearance) concept. Photos and sketches to follow! 

Fortunately long time collaborator and experimental musician Calvin Miller is not sick to death of us and has agreed to write the score for the show. He has taken inspiration from catwalk music, creating dystopic soundscapes echoing our consumer driven, beauty industry.

Venue Booked?

Check! 

We are delighted to be presenting this project at the Fleeting Arms; an exciting prospect, working to the unusual, non conventional layout of the performance space. 

The show opens at 7.30pm on Sunday 15 November for just 3 nights. This is experience theatre and so we have only 30 tickets available for each night, tickets are available here  and we currently have an early bird offer on, if you purchase tickets before the November 1.