In October 2019 we launched the Shakespeare’s Rivals project with two public performances.
At the heart of this programme we staged extended sequences from a trio of plays from the 1610s and 1620s – The Devil’s Law-Case by John Webster; The Witch of Edmonton, by John Ford, Thomas Dekker, and William Rowley; and The Roman Actor by Philip Massinger.
All three are scripts we greatly admire; but we selected them for this first experiment because of the radical stylistic contrasts which separate them.
One of the performances was filmed, and this film will in due course be made available here, accompanied by observations from the directors on their experience of rehearsing these brilliant works in parallel in this way.
The Cast
Two Gentlemen of Verona – William Shakespeare
Proteus
Alfie Howle
Troilus and Cressida – William Shakespeare
Troilus
Alfie Howle
The Witch of Edmonton – John Ford, Thomas Dekker and William Rowley
Frank
Tobi Sidiku
Winifred
Hayley Clarke
Sir Arthur
Dean Murphy
The Roman Actor – Philip Massinger
Aretinus
Bryn Richards
Paris
Alfie Howle
Domitia
Lily James
Parthenius
Dean Murphy
Lamia
Bryn Richards
Soldiers
Cullum Ball, Alfie Howle, Tobi Sidiku
The Devil’s Law-Case – John Webster
Romelio
Cullum Ball
Jolenta
Mickey Xavier-Jackson
Leonora
Charlotte Emerson
Creative Team
Directed by
Michael Cordner and Ollie Jones
Lighting Design
Rob del Pino and Katherine Graham
DSM
Jo Papanastassiou
Assistant Producer
Fin Avison
Costume and Wardrobe
Estella Harrowing
Lighting & Sound Operator
Lydia Jührich
Lighting and Sound Assistant
Emma Povey
Props
Sara Chew
Filming
Simon van der Borgh, Matt Brannan, Paul Ryan, and team
Thanks to: Derrick Attridge, Frav, Bryony Jones, Mariana Lopez, Claudia Nader Jaime, Mads Quinn, Felicity Riddy, Leanne Roberts, Richard Rowland, Mitch Siddons, Mark Smith, Roxanne Spence
