Marston himself calls The Malcontent “asperam… thaliam”: a harsh or rough comedy; it is sometimes called a tragi-comedy. The rehearsal process has suggested a different emphasis, a comi-tragedy. It’s so savagely funny, but in an invasive, provocative, unsentimental way. Be warned: this will not be a comfortable evening.
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“Dreams, dreams, visions, fantasies, chimeras, imaginations, tricks, conceits!” This tragi-comedy is considered Marston’s masterpiece, full of reversals and transformations, surprises and disguises. A bitter satire, suffused with savage irony throughout, the play is a timely reminder of the worst excesses of fallen humanity driven by lust and ambition. It also demands great musical resources. First performed in 1604 at the Blackfriars by “the Children of Her Majesty’s Revels”, one of the two leading boys’ companies of the day, The Malcontent is presented by Edward’s Boys at the request of the Oxford Marston Project. The production marks the ongoing publication
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Edward’s Boys are delighted to announce that our March 2019 production will be John Marston’s tragi-comedy The Malcontent, directed by Perry Mills. This production will be given as part of the Oxford Marston Project. Dates and venues will be confirmed shortly, but will include performances in Oxford and London as well as Stratford-upon-Avon. Tickets will go on sale at the start of January. To be first to hear about ticket availability, please sign up for our mailing list using the form at the foot of this page.
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An Illustrated Lecture featuring Edward’s Boys As far as we know, Samuel Daniel’s The Tragedy of Philotas was only performed once, probably in January 1605. The actors were all choristers in the company known as the Children of the Queen’s Revels. It was niche drama, and the choice of inflammatory subject matter—satire on the state–was surely part of the attraction. And the performance earned Daniel the unwelcome scrutiny of the Privy Council, possibly on account of a perceived resemblance between the play’s protagonist and the Earl of Essex, who had been executed for rebellion and treason in 1601. Furthermore, Philotas
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In an exciting new collaboration, Edward’s Boys have taken part in a BBC Four documentary on the shocking true story of children kidnapped from the streets of Elizabethan London to perform on the stage. The documentary sheds light on the gripping tale of a child abducted from the streets of Elizabethan London, and how his father fought to get him back. Presented by acclaimed children’s author and academic, Katherine Rundell, this intriguing tale is set behind the scenes in the golden age of Shakespeare, and provides a glimpse into the lives of children long before they were thought to have rights.
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DVDs of live performances of The Woman in the Moon (April 2018) and When Paul’s Boys Met Edward’s Boys (June 2018) are now available on DVD. Please click here to go to the shop to order your copy.
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The year 1600 was the first in many that avid theatregoers had the choice of going to see not one, but two, professional all-boy troupes: the Children of Paul’s (1599-1606), who worked, predictably, out of a small indoor playhouse in the cloisters of Paul’s Cathedral, and the Children of the Chapel/Revels/Blackfriars/Queen’s Revels (1600-1613; they had a bit of an identity crisis), who occupied a larger venue in the Blackfriars. The companies were united in their experimental nature, their inventive approach to playwriting and performance, and, if the plays written for them are anything to go by, their shared possession of
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After a final day of rehearsals, Edward’s Boys are about to embark on their latest tour, When Paul’s Boys Met Edward’s Boys. The company is excited to be performing at St Paul’s Cathedral on Monday 25th of June and at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on Tuesday 26th of June; these two glorious venues will be the setting for an educational, and quite possibly extraordinary, evening. Tickets for Monday’s performance sold out rapidly, but a small number of tickets still remain for Tuesday’s performance at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Please click here for more information, and to catch the last performance of
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After several years’ gestation, the collaboration between St Paul’s Choristers and Edward’s Boys eventually happened! On June 25th and 26th respectively the two performances (at St Paul’s and the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) played to packed houses. A moment(s) of history! “It really was the most moving and delightful experience to be able to realise our vision of a joint enterprise – and the result was quite magnificent!” Michael Hampel Precentor, St Paul’s Cathedral More photos of the production, as well as an extract from the DVD will be made available shortly
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A 16th century Feminine Mystique… From the perspective of a KES English teacher, watching Edward’s Boys plays is a revelation, not least because smaller pupils of my acquaintance have swapped their KES blazers for a Shottery blouse and skirt, but because they reveal just what real interpretation is about: performance. It strikes me that The Woman in the Moon is a text particularly suited to this purpose. At its core, it is of course an exploration of femininity and what it means to be a woman; these are undoubtedly questions young men at a boys’ school need to explore. But
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