Thank you to Kathryn Warner for alerting me to this news on her wonderful blog on Edward II.
Christopher Marlowe, the Elizabethan playwright and poet who celebrates his 447th birthday* this month, wrote a play about the deposition of King Edward II – “Edward the Second” – and this play is being performed by Em-Lou Productions at London Bankside’s “The Rose Theatre” from the 10th February to the 5th March 2011.
The Em-Lou Productions news release says of Marlowe’s play:-
” “All they that love not tobacco and boys are fools”… Edward, much to the despair of his wife and contempt of his barons, is very fond of both. King Edward comes to the throne, and immediately recalls his banished lover, Pierce Gaveston- an order that puts him at odds with most of his court. Edward must battle his sneering subjects, his scorned wife and his own family for not only the right to rule, but for the right to love… This rarely performed classic is a thrillingly crafted bloody tale of love, lust, betrayal and class conflict; of what one man would do for power and what another man would do in the face of love…”
Bookings
£10.00 / £8.00 concessions Monday to Thursday
£12.00 / £10.00 concessions Friday to Sunday
Box office: 020 7261 9565
Email: [email protected]
You can also purchase tickets online at We Got Tickets
You can find out more about the productions at The Rose Theatre website and Em-Lou Productions.
*Marlowe’s exact date of birth is unknown but he was baptised on the 26th February 1564 and his birthdate is often taken to be the 6th February.
Related posts:
26 February 1564 – Baptism of Christopher Marlowe
The Rose Theatre
Edward VI is Crowned King – 20 February 1547
Musician Damon Albarn and Dr John Dee
The Arrest of Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector
Christopher Hatton
The Execution of Edward Seymour – 22nd January 1552
Happy Birthday Edward VI – Venus and Saturn in Conjunction
Edward VI and Mary I
Execution of Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset – 22 January 1552
22 January 1552 – Execution of Edward Seymour
This sounds quite amazing. I should read more of Marlowe–I sometimes forget about other dramatists when Shakespeare looms so large. Wish I could see the production!
He DID treat his queen pretty horribly, and paid a heavy price for it. I’ve not read Marlowe – is he pro-Edward II? Most historians focus more on his wife, Isabella (the She-Wolf of France).
Edward 2 is a stupid king and his immaturity leads him towads death. And the murder scene is very pathetic. From this point of view the play reaches to the highest level of emotions. And it is the tragic end of a king. However,isabella is a major character. She plays the role of a dissembler. She not only supports mortimer also brings king’s downfall,yet she does not know it. Marlowe is excellent to create his characters. And edward 2 is very interesting play for me.
I should tell about mortimer. He really is a machiavillain. He only wants to take the royal power. So he uses the relationship with queen isabella. But he is too harsh on the king. At last he is killed and put on trial. He is the villain of this play.
The way I see, Marlowe is not pro-Edward-II, He just built his character with such a craft that sometimes it appears so