John Webster - The Duchess of Malfi

[Riklaa]

John Webster - The Duchess of Malfi BBC Radio 3: Sunday Play Broadcast: Sunday 8th November 1992 @ 7:30 p.m. The evils of greed and ambition overwhelm love, innocence, and the bonds of kinship in this dark tragedy concerning the secret marriage of a noblewoman and a commoner. John Webster's great Jacobean drama detailing the fiendish schemes of two brothers who desire their wealthy sister's title and estates ends with a bloody and horrifying climax. "The Duchess of Malfi" is a meditation on power--political, religious, and sexual--and presents a bleak, violent, and fascinating world couched in some of the most beautiful language ever put on the stage. The Duchess of Malfi's description of a world bereft of moral values on its highest levels fascinates and scandalises us to this day. A macabre, tragic play, John Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi" was written in 1612–13. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, then before a more general audience at The Globe, in 1613-14. Published for the first time in 1623, the play is loosely based on true events that occurred between about 1508 and 1513, recounted in William Painter's The Palace of Pleasure (1567). The Duchess was Giovanna d'Aragona, whose father, Arrigo d'Aragona, Marquis of Gerace, was an illegitimate son of Ferdinand I of Naples. Her husbands were Alfonso Piccolomini, Duke of Amalfi, and (as in the play) Antonio Bologna. Fiona Shaw ............................... The Duchess of Malfi Roger Allam .................... Daniel de Bosola, a Malcontent Adrian Dunbar ..................... Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria John Shrapnel ............... The Cardinal, Ferdinand's Brother Patrick Brennan ....... Antonio Bologna, Steward to the Duchess Simon Harris .......................... Delio, Antonio's Friend Helen Griffin ................. Julia, Mistress to the Cardinal John Webb ............................. Castruchio, an Old Lord Manon Edwards ............ Cariola, the Duchess of Malfi's Maid Peter Gunn .................. Roderigo, Lord attending the Duke Robert David .................. Silvio, Lord attending the Duke Lawmary Champion ................................. The Old Lady The music was composed by Tim Riley Performed by Vicki Higginson, James Mainwaring, and Lynn Plowman Recorded on location at Llancaiach Fawr Manor House, Wales. Directed by Alison Hindell Re-broadcast on Sunday 2nd April 1995 @ 7:30 p.m. Duration: 2 hr. 26 min. 49 sec. (Stereo)

Webster,John - The Duchess of Malfi (R3 1992-11-08).mp3

[Riklaa]

By John Webster.

The Duchess of Malfi is one of the great Jacobean plays, and this new production focuses on the personal tragedies of a powerful family rent by lust and betrayal. When the widowed Duchess marries her steward Antonio, the choice challenges the accepted social order and established lines of power. It also brings her into direct conflict with her powerful brothers, the Duke Ferdinand and the scheming Cardinal, and tragedy ensues. The dark tale is enhanced by dark music written especially for the play.

Duchess ...... Sophie Okonedo
Antonio ...... Rory Kinnear
Ferdinand ...... Jonathan Slinger
Bosola ...... Bertie Carvel
Cardinal ...... Oliver Senton
Delio ...... Oliver Le Sueur
Cariola ...... Becky Hindley
Julia ...... Rachel Davidge
Doctor ...... Michael Griffiths
Pescara ...... Paul Panting
Roderigo/Executioner ...... Nicholas Gadd
Grisolan/Servant ...... Francis Middleditch

Music by Arthur Ka Wai Jenkins.

Adapted for radio and directed by Roy McMillan.

Webster,John - The Duchess of Malfi (R2 2008-10-12).mp3

[Magersfontein]

Thank you very much, Rick. A treasure house of Jacobean tragedy!

Roger

[Riklaa]

THE DUCHESS OF MALFI (1954)

This production was originally broadcast in 1954 and subsequently released on audio tape (as a part of the obscure educational BBC Study Library) c1980. It was available for many years from a media company called Audio Forum, however I am informed they no longer have the right to any BBC material.

The cast:
Delio, friend to Antonio ... Godfrey Kenton
Antonio, steward of the household of the Duchess ... Tony Britten
Bosola, gentleman of the horse to the Duchess ... Paul Rogers
The Cardinal, brother to Ferdinand and the Duchess ... Esme Percy
Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria, brother to the Duchess ... Paul Scofield
Silvio, a courtier ... Alec Gunn
Grisolan, a courtier ... Leonard Trolley
Duchess of Malfi ... Peggy Ashcroft
Cariola, her woman ... Rosalie Crutchley
Castruccio, a courtier ... Cyril Shaps
Roderigo ... Manning Wilson
Julia, Castruccio's wife and the Cardinal's mistress ... Mary Wimbush
A Doctor ... James Dale
The Marquis of Pescara ... Geoffrey Matthews
Old Lady ... Nan Marriott-Watson
with Rupert Davies, Gregor Hagan and Alan Reid

Music composed by James Bernard and conducted by John Hollingsworth
Produced by R.D. Smith

Duchess of Malfi (BBC 1954).mp3

[Robert]

Thanks

[Magersfontein]

Excellent! Thanks very much for posting this. I studied Webster's two great tragedies at school but didn't really appreciate his worth until seeing "The Duchess of Malfi" at Stratford on Avon. Judi Dench played the Duchess...

Roger

[Riklaa]

Roger,
I have 2 other versions of the same work, one from 1954 and one from 2008. Would you like me to post them also.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick

[Magersfontein]

I certainly would. Thank you, Rick.

Roger