Edward II. Die Liebe bin ich

A king inevitably attracts a great deal of envy. In the supremely chivalrous Middle Ages, hardly one monarch in the British Isles died of natural causes. The lust for power, the thirst for revenge, resentment and favouritism – these passions cut a bloody swathe through the royal courts.

Theatre can draw from this rich vein. The treasure trove of Elizabethan historical drama remains today one of the greatest challenges for theatre directors. Edward II was Christopher Marlowe’s posthumous bequest at the end of the 16^th century. According to its title the play was about “the troublesome reign and lamentable death of Edward the Second”. But it was about more than that. It was about tyrannical rule in all its ethical, political and human infamy.

Austrian Ewald Palmetshofer – recently dramaturge at Basel Theatre and a rising star as a playwright – has adapted this play by Shakespeare’s contemporary, Christopher Marlowe. At its centre are the imperfections and malevolence of Edward’s intimate circle. Gaveston – the favourite in the royal household – is the main cause of the turmoil. Contemporaries at the beginning of the 14^th century suspected that Edward was in a homosexual relationship with the duke, who was of French descent. Queen Isabella and the political strategist Mortimer therefore stir unrest. But they are unable to avert the moment when everyone recognizes the black hole behind the pomp of gold and the throne that exerts such a magnetic pull on them.

The more pitiless the spiral of violence, the more shrewdly director Nora Schlocker assembles the warring factions. And the deeper the characters sink into the bloody game, the more willingly and more raptly do we watch the excellent cast. However, the tyrant asserts unwaveringly, “Edward II – I am love”.

It is true that the king loves. It is also true that the king makes himself vulnerable to blackmail. And this undercuts his power to act. A state cannot be built on love alone.

Stephan Reuter

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  With
  Elias Eilinghoff, Florian von Manteuffel, Thomas Reisinger, Myriam Schröder, Thiemo Strutzenberger, Michael Wächter, Simon Zagermann, Noah Zanolari
  
  Stage design
  Marie Roth

  Costumes
  Sanna Dembowski

  Music and composition
  Hannes Marek

  Lights
  Cornelius Hunziker

  Dramaturgy
  Constanze Kargl

  Musical preparation for Prince Edward
  Markus Teutschbein, Knabenkantorei Basel

  Coproduction
  Theater Basel - Wiener Festwochen - Schauspielhaus Wien

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