Please note this archive page may link to other pages and sites that no longer exist

The Duchess of Malfi  Ron Barber Studio

By John Webster

15 - 19 November 2005 at 7.15pm (note early start time)

Matinee 19 at 2.15pm (note early start time)

The widowed Duchess, ordered by her brothers to remain chaste and unmarried, secretly woos and marries, but there is a spy in her household, and so begins a journey of love, lust, revenge, intrigue and madness.

£7.50, concessions £6.50

First Night Offer Tuesday 15 all tickets £6

"Put the bright lights of a Crescent company into a dark Jacobean tragedy and you are guaranteed an evening of drama at its deadliest. John Webster’s tale of murders, madness, incest and corruption involving a crooked cardinal and his mad brother makes its twisting journey to a clutter of corpses by way of snide asides and lots of plotting.

There is a point at which Dave Hill’s excellent and fast-moving production could have been in danger of sliding past the tenuous line into melodrama but it does not happen. There is a firm hand on the tiller and an experienced crew responds quite splendidly. David Owen (Ferdinand) heads the honours list with his vibrant portrayal of an uncontrolled and accelerating madness. Robert Edwards is a creepily convincing Bosola and Virginia Bates a stoical Duchess."

John Slim, Birmingham Mail 17 November 2005