Edward II December 19, 2007

To open the new Sidney Harman Hall, the Shakespeare Theatre Company presents its first-ever staging of Marlowe, dazzling in their brilliant characterization and soaring verse. Deemed by many to be Marlowe's crowning achievement, 'Edward II' features the playwright's most nuanced characters and some of his finest language. In the weak, stubborn character of Edward II, Marlowe created a compelling portrait of a flawed monarch. Though the son of a great general, Edward is an ineffectual king, and, in the grips of a romantic obsession, he fails to recognize the threats to his crown. As the play unfolds, Marlowe turns the doomed Edward into a more tragic figure, contrasting his plight with the ruthless nobles who depose him. Wallace Acton returns to play the title role. Presented in revolving repertory with Marlowe's 'Tamburlaine.'