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Theatre

The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

12 Mar 15 – 18 Apr 15, 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

The final bill of the Wanamaker's trio of Jacobean tragedies, John Ford's The Broken Heart is a tale of love, tyranny and revenge...

By Lucy Brooks on 19/6/2014

The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse Lucy Brooks
Culture Whisper says: ⭑⭑⭑⭒⭒


Below is our preview, which explains the background of the show. Click here to read our The Broken Heart review. 


The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse's new season opens with John Ford's 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore, and will close with another Ford play: The Broken Heart.
The Story...
A tale of love, tyranny and revenge, the play is set in ancient Sparta and follows the fortunes of two sets of lovers as their families and other influences beyond their control conspire to ensure that their tale is not a happily ever after. As is typical of Jacobean drama, the play features its fair share of brutality and dead bodies.
Whilst ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore is a play notorious for its controversial exploration of incest, The Broken Heart has no such hook for critics to grab onto and to wag their fingers at. Yet this does not by any stretch mean that the play shies away from the extremes of human emotion or the conflict between conscience and society that are so prevalent in its more famous brother. Many would argue that this is John Ford at his finest , not courting controversy but bravely exploring the lengths and breadths of consciousness and the human mind. 
The Staging...
Any play that contains plotting, scheming, and shadowy subterfuge has a welcome home in the candlelight of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. But, the flickery half light will bring added challenges for the cast, who will have to convey the subtle spectrum of emotions in Ford's script without expression and gesture getting lost in the gloom. In particular, the spectacle of the princess, who continues to dance at her own prenuptial feast as her world falls apart around her, is an openly physical one -- and if the production’s lighting denies the audience the intense, conflicted emotions flickering across the actress' face, the force could be diluted. With the expertise on board at the theatre, we have faith that they will find a way. 


What The Broken Heart, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
Where Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, 21 New Globe Walk, London, SE1 9DT | MAP
Nearest tube Blackfriars (underground)
When 12 Mar 15 – 18 Apr 15, 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Price £10-£60
Website Click here to book via The Globe



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A Little More...

  • Exclusive Offer

    Discount

    Culture Whisper readers receive top price tickets for £25. To use enter the promotional code PCDHEART25 when booking. 

    Terms and conditions: Valid on performances from 1–17 April. Must book before 5 April, subject to availability, valid on £60/£45/£35 tickets. Click to book. 

    A trio of tragedies

    As the final instalment of the Wanamaker's triple bill of Jacobean Tragedy, The Broken Heart will follow first  'Tis a Pity She's a Whore , then Thomas Middleton's darkly erotic drama The Changeling . We recommend booking for all three.

    Practical

    THE SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE

    When designing the Globe, Sam Wanamaker’s intentions for the South Bank site followed the Shakespearean model of two theatres, creating a dual experience, spanning two eras and all seasons. Now, Wanamaker's dream of a contemporary copy of the Shakespeare’s original Jacobean Blackfriars Theatre has been accomplished – and named in his honour. 

    Following the earliest theatre designs in existence, penned by a protégé of Inigo Jones , the theatre is historically accurate from its very foundations. The intimate two-tiered seating and pit have a capacity of just 350 in stark contrast to its immense neighbour. Proximity to the stage shapes the theatre’s format. The cast are also defined by closeness: the stage is half the width of that of the Globe and much narrower, giving a concentrated performance. Beware though, the authentic wooden benches and candlelight can be uncomfortable and hot.

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