Love and Madness

Created by Gerry Flanagan and James Atherton

Barbican Theatre Plymouth, Castle Street, Plymouth, PL1 2NJ

11th – 12th August 2011

Alpha Diallo

“Love that is not madness is not love.”

A father takes his daughter to a strange city. She is to be married. But she feigns madness to avoid this fate. Unwittingly this starts a chain reaction as first her true love, Oratio, then Flaminia, who also loves Oratio, really do go mad, followed by Pedrolino, Alechino, Pantalone and soon everyone is in the grip of insanity. A prophet arises foretelling the end of the world; signs are seen in the sky, as all succumb to urges beyond their control. The world has gone mad.

Love and Madness takes us into the world of the Commedia dell’Arte to meet the wonderfully comical and tragic characters that first arose in late 15th century Italy. Using a 400-year-old scenario we will see Masters and Servants argue, fight and love in a world full of envy, love and revenge just like they did all those centuries ago. Their adventures will make us look at our own attitudes to love and madness.

“And Something’s odd – within
That person that I was –
And this One – do not feel the same –
Could it be madness – this?”
Emily Dickinson

Creative & production team
Cast & musicians

Company members are subject to change

Director Gerry Flanagan
Composer James Atherton

Cast

Hannah Anderson
Matthew Bawden
Emily Buchan
Patrick Burley-Brown
Lucy Chenery
Archie Combe
Rachel Davies
Samuel Dunham
Tristan Fanning
Michael Gallagher
Andrew Grogan
Amanda Hahn
Adam Hargreaves
Nathan Hughes
Jessica Jones
Thomas Josling
Jess Kambitsis
Jennifer Lypka
Alice Martin
Shae Maunders
Cherilyn Mawby
Victoria May
Rachael McDougall
Grace McInerny
Grace Mitchell
Ella Nokes
Barry O'Reilly
Joseph Orren
Rachel Partington
Calum Pearce
Ebony-Rio Rees
Florence Russell
Jordan Smith
Scarlett Sterne
Cain Suleyman
Brandon Thompson
Annabel Turner
Leah Weerasinghe