The Duchess of Malfi

Written by John Webster
Performed in English
1995–1996

First performed in 1614, John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi is one of the greatest examples of Jacobean revenge drama, and paved the way for the stage spectacle, dark humour and horrifying violence characteristic of drama of this period.

The Duchess herself is an incredibly complex figure in her independence and defiance of the accepted social norms of an aristocratic widow. She disobeys her corrupt and manipulative brothers by choosing to remarry, selecting her steward Antonio as her second husband.

 In the dark world of Jacobean drama, Webster’s play tells of how the Duchess’s two brothers stop at nothing to control, and ultimately destroy, their sister and her family. The love story that begins this dark play gives way to intense jealously, spying, madness and incest that leads to immense suffering and horrific revenge…

Produced by Cheek by Jowl. The first performance of The Duchess of Malfi was at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds on 19th September 1995.

“Extraordinary, bordering on the astonishing”
The Times

Cast and creative team

Cast

Name	Character
Matthew Macfadyen	Antonio Bologna
Shaun Parkes	Delio
George Anton	Bosola
Paul Brennen	Cardinal
Scott Handy	Ferdinand
Anastasia Hille	Duchess
Avril Clark	Cariola
Nicola Redmond	Julia
Matthew Bowyer Sean Hannaway Christopher Kell Terence Maynard Guy Moore Peter Moreton	The Court / Officers / Madmen / Executioners

Creative Team

Role	Name
Director	Declan Donnellan
Designer	Nick Ormerod
Lighting	Judith Greenwood
Movement	Jane Gibson
Music	Catherine Jayes

Previous performances

Previous Performances

Date (first performance)	Location	No. of performances
24 April 1996	Krakow, Stray Theatre, Poland	2
18 April 1996	Prague, Archa Theatre, Czech Republic	5
11 April 1996	Moscow, Vahtangov Theatre, Russia	3
23 March 1996	Bogota, Teatro Colon, Columbia	5
19 March 1996	Mexico City, Teatro Jimenez Rueda, Mexico	2
1 March 1996	Hong Kong, Arts Centre, Shouson Theatre, China	6
21 February 1996	Vienna, Odeon Theatre, Austria	5
16 February 1996	Ljublijana, Cankarjev Dom, Slovenia	2
9 February 1996	Budapest, Katona Jozsef Theatre, Hungary	4
1 February 1996	Valletta, Manoel Theatre, Malta	3
27 December 1995	London, Wyndhams Theatre, UK	37
6 December 1995	New York, Majestic Theatre, USA	10
28 November 1995	Blackpool, Grand Theatre, UK	6
22 November 1995	Bucharest, Nottara Theatre, Romania	2
14 November 1995	Coventry, Coventry Arts Centre, UK	5
26 October 1995	Melbourne, Althenaeum, Australia	11
17 October 1995	Oxford, Oxford Playhouse, UK	6
10 October 1995	Dublin, Gaeity Theatre, Ireland	6
5 October 1995	Rome, Teatro Valle, Italy	3
26 September 1995	Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre, UK	6
19 September 1995	Bury St Edmunds, Theatre Royal, UK	6