Théâtre (1613)


Musique:
Paroles:
Livret: John Webster
Production à la création:

Version 2

Duchess of Malfi (The) (1985-07-Lyttelton Theatre-NT-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: National Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Lyttelton Theatre
Durée : 9 mois
Nombre : 74 représentations
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : jeudi 04 juillet 1985
Dernière : samedi 05 avril 1986
Mise en scène : Philip Prowse
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :

Synopsis complet



Antonio Bologna. Antonio has recently returned from France, full of scorn for the Italian courtiers whom he sees as more corrupt than the French. Antonio is the steward of the Duchess of Malfi's palace. His honesty and good judgement of character are characteristics well known to the other characters. He accepts the Duchess' proposal of marriage because of her disposition rather than her beauty. Her marrying beneath herself is a problem, however, and their marriage has to remain a secret, and Antonio shares neither her title nor her money. Bosola accidentally kills him.
Delio. A courtier, who tries to woo Julia. Based on a historical character of the same name, his purpose is to be the sounding board for his friend Antonio. Because he asks so many pertinent questions, he serves as a source of important information to the audience, and is privy to the secrets of Antonio's marriage and children.
Daniel de Bosola. A former servant of the Cardinal, now returned from a sentence in the galleys for murder. Publicly rejected by his previous employer the Cardinal, he is sent by Ferdinand to spy on the Duchess as her Provisor of Horse. (Ferdinand hopes to keep her away from marriage.) Bosola is involved in the murder of the Duchess, her children, Cariola, Antonio, the Cardinal, Ferdinand, and a servant. Witnessing the nobility of the Duchess and Antonio facing their deaths, he finally feels guilty, and seeks to avenge them. This change of heart makes him the play's most complex character. A malcontent and cynic, he makes numerous critical comments on the nature of Renaissance society. (He is based on the historical Daniele de Bozolo, about whom little is known.)
The Cardinal. The brother to the Duchess and Ferdinand. A corrupt, icy official in the Roman Catholic Church who keeps a mistress—not uncharacteristic of the time—he has arranged a spy (Bosola) to spy upon his sister – all this on the quiet, however, leaving others ignorant of his plotting. Of remorse, love, loyalty, or even greed, he knows nothing, and his reasons for hating his sister are a mystery. (Historically, his name was Luigi or Lodovico.)
Ferdinand. The Duke of Calabria and twin brother of the Duchess. Unlike his rational brother the Cardinal, Ferdinand is given to fits of rage and violent outbursts disproportionate to the perceived offence. He gradually loses his sanity—he believes he is a wolf and digs up graves— (lycanthropia) but, upon seeing his dead sister, has the grace to regret hiring Bosola to kill her. (In reality, his name was Carlo, Marquis of Gerace.)
Castruchio. An old lord. His name plays on the word "castrated", suggesting impotence. He's the conventional elderly man with a young, unfaithful wife (Julia). He is genial and easygoing, attempting to stay on good terms with all.
Roderigo. A courtier.
Grisolan. A courtier.
Silvio. A courtier.
Pescara. A marquis.
The Duchess. The protagonist, sister to Ferdinand and the Cardinal. At the beginning, she is a widow in the prime of her life. Though her brothers take every precaution to keep her from marriage, she secretly marries Antonio. Her brothers arrange to have her strangled. She is described as having a sweet countenance and noble virtue. Witty and clever, she can keep up with her brothers’ banter. She also has a tenderness and warmth that they lack. She has three children, two sons and a daughter by Antonio. (There is an inconsistency surrounding earlier children by her deceased husband, put down to a careless mistake by Webster.)
Cariola. Duchess's waiting-woman and privy to her secrets. She witnesses the Duchess's wedding and delivers her children. She dies tragically by strangling following the murder of the Duchess and the youngest children. Her name plays on the Italian carriolo, meaning "trundle-bed", where personal servants would have slept.
Julia. Castruchio's wife and the Cardinal's mistress. She dies at the Cardinal's hands from a poisoned Bible.
Malateste. A hanger-on at the Cardinal's court. The name means 'headache'. Referred to as a "mere stick of sugar candy" by the Duchess, he is yet another interchangeable courtier conveying the sycophantic court of Malfi.
Doctor. Sent for to diagnose and remedy Ferdinand's madness and his supposed "lycanthropia".
There is also a variety of minor roles including couriers, servants, officers, a mistress, the children, executioners, etc. They further the plot or perform small tasks that cannot be accomplished by the principals.

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Version 1

Duchess of Malfi (The) (1960-12-Aldwych Theatre-London) RSC

Type de série: West End Transfer
Théâtre: Aldwych Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée :
Nombre :
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : jeudi 15 décembre 1960
Dernière : Inconnu
Mise en scène : Donald McWhinnie
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : Godfrey Derek (Antonio Bologna), Langley Robert (Antonio's Son), Adrian Max (Cardinal), Bidmead Stephanie (Cariola), Layne-Smith Donald (Castruccio), Richardson Ian (Count Malatesti), Wymark Patrick (Daniel de Bosola), Jeffrey Peter (Delio), Church Tony (Doctor), Ashcroft Peggy (Duchess of Malfi), Porter Eric (Ferdinand), Douglas Donald (Grisolan), Phillips Sian (Julia), Bree James (Marquis of Pescara), Voss Philip (Officer), Edwards Mavis (Old Woman), Sumner David (Roderigo), Rose Clifford (Silvio), Battersby Julian (Unnamed parts), Buck David (Unnamed parts), Cruise Christopher (Unnamed parts), Dotrice Roy (Unnamed parts), Frank Maroussia (Unnamed parts), Gifford Wendy (Unnamed parts), Kerry James (Unnamed parts), Rigg Diana (Unnamed parts), Swift Clive (Unnamed parts), Thomas Dave (Unnamed parts), Thorne Stephen (Unnamed parts), Wallis William (Unnamed parts)
Commentaires : Un spectacle de la RSC.
Version créée en 1960 au Royal Shakespeare Theatre à Stratford

Version 2

Duchess of Malfi (The) (1985-07-Lyttelton Theatre-NT-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: National Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Lyttelton Theatre
Durée : 9 mois
Nombre : 74 représentations
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première : jeudi 04 juillet 1985
Dernière : samedi 05 avril 1986
Mise en scène : Philip Prowse
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :

Version 3

Duchess of Malfi (The) (2003-01-Lyttelton Theatre-NT-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: National Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Lyttelton Theatre
Durée : 3 mois 4 semaines
Nombre : 52 représentations
Première Preview : samedi 18 janvier 2003
Première : mardi 28 janvier 2003
Dernière : mardi 27 mai 2003
Mise en scène : Phyllida Lloyd
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : Janet McTeer (Duchess), Lorcan Cranitch (Bosola), Eleanor David (Julia), Charles Edwards (Antonio), Will Keen (Ferninand), Sally Rogers (Cariola), Jonathan Slinger (Delio), James Howard, Penelope McGhie, Stuart Richman, Ray Stevenson, Andrew Westfield, Michael Bernardin, Keiran Flynn, Julien Ball, Martin Chamberlain, Eliza Lumley, Margaret Hilder
Presse : NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Thrills but no chills" MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, " A mixed affair." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, " Have seen more menacing Ferdinands than Keen but few who were more unquiet." ALASTAIR MACAULAY for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "Either Lloyd has cut some of the play's greatest lines, or they pass for nothing." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "The verse speaking is abysmal.......this normally gripping play proves a punishing, deeply irritating endurance test." PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "McTeer's Duchess, poised, elegant, full of warmth, humour and humanity, is utterly convincing."

Version 4

Duchess of Malfi (The) (2012-06-Old Vic-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Old Vic (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 2 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : samedi 17 mars 2012
Première : mercredi 28 mars 2012
Dernière : samedi 09 juin 2012
Mise en scène : Jamie Lloyd
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : Eve Best (The Duchess Of Malfi), Tom Bateman (Antonio Bologna), Mark Bonnar (Daniel de Bosola), Harry Lloyd (Ferdinand), Finbar Lynch (The Cardinal Of Aragon), Madeline Appiah (Cariola), Harry Attwell (Marquis of Pescara), Nari Blair-Mangat (Roderigo), Adam Burton (Silvio), Vyelle Croom (Malateste), Lucy Eaton (Lady in Waiting), Taylor James (Grisolan), Tunji Kasim (Delio), Iris Roberts (Julia) , Alan Westaway (Doctor and Castruccio)

Version 5

Duchess of Malfi (The) (2014-01-Sam Wanamaker Playhouse-Globe-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Globe Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
Durée : 1 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : jeudi 09 janvier 2014
Première : jeudi 09 janvier 2014
Dernière : dimanche 16 février 2014
Mise en scène : Dominic Dromgoole
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : Gemma Arterton (the Duchess), Sean Gilder (Bosola), David Dawson (Ferdinand), James Garnon (Cardinal), Denise Gough ( Julia), Alex Waldmann (Antonio), Giles Cooper, John Dougall, Sarah MacRae, Brendan O'Hea, Paul Rider, Dickon Tyrrell.
Presse : "The big problem with the show is that even in this intimate space the former Bond girl Gemma Arterton makes so little impression as the Duchess." Charles Spencer for The Telegraph

"The luminous Gemma Arterton beautifully captures the multi-faceted quality of the Duchess ..." Paul Taylor for The Independent

"... the success of the evening lies in the fact that Webster's play and this exciting new space [the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse] make a perfect fit." Michael Billington for The Guardian

"The tone is intimate and chatty rather than declamatory, which seems to be a deliberate antidote to the melodramatic excesses of the original." Simon Edge for The Daily Express

"The atmosphere is highly charged, with the elegant, rustling costumes adding to the sense of shadowy gorgeousness." Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard

Version 6

Duchess of Malfi (The) (2019-12-Almeida Theatre-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Almeida Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 1 mois 2 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : lundi 02 décembre 2019
Première : mardi 10 décembre 2019
Dernière : samedi 25 janvier 2020
Mise en scène : Rebecca Frecknell
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Avec : Khalid Abdalla, Hadassah Allen, Leo Bill, Jersey Blu Georgia, Ioanna Kimbook, Michael Marcus, Ciarán Owens, Shalini Peiris, Jack Riddiford, Jethro Skinner, Kalungi Ssebandeke, Lydia Wilson
Commentaires : Lydia Wilson returns to the Almeida to play the Duchess, following her Olivier Award-nominated performance in King Charles III.

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