The Canterbury Players is delving deep into the realms of forbidding love and uncontrollable lust in their latest production; a re-telling of the John Fords' Late Renaissance play 'Tis Pity She's A Whore noted for its themes of love, marriage, murder, religious skepticism, greed and revenge.
There was something else as well, a minor uncontroversial detail for a 17th century play. What on earth could it be? Oh yes...
...incest.This revenge tragedy is infamous for its frank and no holds barred examination of the incestuous relationship between Giovanni and Annabella, the children of Florio, a well-to-do Italian gentleman. So much controversy surrounds it that it was removed from a 1831 collection of Ford's plays and has frequently had its title changed to something far more innocuous.
Ford had a penchant for creating characters with strong emotions, unbridled appetites and powerful intellects which feed a whole rafter of selfish emotions. The play is stuffed full of intrigue, deception, plots, arranged marriages and shifting alliances. 'Tis Pity critiques contemporary culture and morality as well as exploring twisted psychological reasoning. Friend murders friend, eyes are put out for what they have witnessed, hearts are displayed on daggers like gruesome trophies, poison is drunk in the middle of a wedding and throughout it all very few characters demonstrate any moral strength of character. 
Come to think of it very few characters are still standing by the end of the second act!
In other words, it's great fun to put on.
I'm only involved peripherally in this production; I'm helping cast members source costumes (modern day mafia is the inspiration as the play is set in Parma in Italy) and also helping with some of the publicity. I am really looking forward to seeing it being performed though and will be blogging later about the finished production.
So I'll leave you with these teasers from rehearsals last week. They look a bit odd as some people are in costume, some aren't and some are in half a costume. It is also clearly at that point where everyone is supposed to be off book but in reality that means a quick check of the next set of lines between scenes! 'Tis Pity will be showing at the Gulbenkian Theatre from the 19th - 21st June, 7.30pm. If you are around, you really should come and see it!
