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Overview

Synopsis

The Duke of Vienna pretends to leave the city on a diplomatic mission. While he is away, he places Vienna in the care of his subordinate, Angelo, who decides to tighten the city's anti-fornication laws. A young nobleman, Claudio, has sex with his wife-to-be, Juliet, before they are married, and Angelo decides to execute him as punishment. Claudio's sister Isabella, a nun, tries to save him, but Angelo will only save Claudio if she agrees to sleep with Angelo, in exchange. At first, Isabella refuses -- much to her brother's horror. In fact, the Duke has not really left the city, and instead has disguised himself as a friar, in order to see what would happen to the city in his absence. As the friar, the Duke makes Angelo think that he has sex with Isabella, when really he has sex with Mariana,a woman to whom he was betrothed, but abandoned. Then, when Angelo asks for Claudio's head, the Duke provides the head of a lookalike prisoner in his place.

When the Duke decides to ‘return’ to the city, Isabella and Mariana both petition him to punish Angelo for his misconduct. Angelo tries to weasel out of things by blaming his actions on the friar, not knowing that the friar was, in fact, the Duke -- in disguise. The Duke reveals himself to be the friar, and Angelo is punished by being forced to marry Mariana. Likewise, Claudio's friend Lucio, for slandering the Duke and the friar, who were the same man, is forced to marry a whore. But will the Duke find happiness with Isabella?

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
5
First Produced
1604
Genres
Drama, Dark Comedy
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Vienna
Cast Size
large
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
College/University, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Isabella

Lead

Female

Non-singer

Vincentio, The Duke of Vienna

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Angelo

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Claudio

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Escalus

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Lucio

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Mariana

Supporting

Female

Non-singer

Mistress Overdone

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Pompey

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Provost

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Elbow

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Barnardine

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Juliet

Featured

Female

Non-singer

Friar Peter Thomas

Featured

Male

Non-singer

The First Gentleman

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Froth

Featured

Male

Non-singer

The Second Gentleman

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Guide Written By:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher