II

Two years after the tragic death of poet/playwright Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare created his most lyrical and haunting history play, Richard II, using Marlowe’s final masterpiece, Edward II, as the structural model for his own play. This innovative theatrical presentation intertwines the lyrical beauty of Shakespeare’s Richard II with the poignant narrative of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II. A non-linear narrative, weaves together key scenes and monologues from both Shakespeare and Marlowe’s texts to create a heart-rending final dialogue between the two monarchs. The poignant soliloquies of Richard II resonate alongside Edward II’s desperate pleas, illustrating their queerness, their shared vulnerabilities and the heavy burden of their crowns. This highly evocative performance will immerse audiences into the turbulent private worlds of both kings, inviting them to reflect on the nature of power and its impact on the human soul.

II promises to be a provocative queer exploration of two of England’s most tragic monarchs through the words of two of England’s greatest poet/playwrights.