Directed by Sarah Lockyer
The play:
Thomas Middleton's The Changeling belongs to a period of English drama post Shakespeare when tragedies were becoming increasingly decadent and disturbing, boldly portraying the horror lurking beneath a veneer of social order and morality. This production is a gloves-off exposé of lust and bloody violence, set in its original time but exploring themes of gender stereo-typing, disfigurement, hypocrisy and self-identification that speak to a modern audience. The central characters are Beatrice, who spirals into a world of evil, and DeFlores, the consummate villain, who leads her there: 'She that in life and love refuses me,/In death and shame my partner she shall be.'
The director:
Having acted in CSF productions since 2018, including The Merry Wives of Windsor and Macbeth, I made my directing debut last season with Henry IV Part One. This year, I am relishing the opportunity to direct, with the assistance of Ollie Graveson, a dark and challenging play, which may introduce audiences to a dramatist whose work is unfamiliar to them. The Changeling's taut plot, rich language and talented cast, many of whom I have had the pleasure of working with before, should produce an intense and memorable experience.
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The venue:
Eliot College Courtyard, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NS
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