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Overview

Synopsis

A Venetian noblewoman, Vittoria Corombona, and the Duke of Bracciano have fallen madly in love… in spite of their marriages to other people. Upon learning of their feelings, Vittoria’s brother, Flamineo, sees an opportunity to advance his career. He plots for the two to meet up alone in order to gain a higher standing for himself as Bracciano’s secretary. When the meeting finally occurs, Vittoria and Flamineo’s mother, Cornelia, happens upon the rendez-vous and, mortified, curses them and demands an end to the illicit relationship. This only increases Bracciano’s lust for Vittoria and he schemes with Flamineo to have his wife, Isabella, and Vittoria’s husband, Camillo, murdered. Quite suspiciously, Isabella is soon poisoned and Camillo’s neck broken, yet Vittoria is the one sent to court as the suspect. The Cardinal Monticelso and Francisco de Medici, the Great Duke of Florence and Isabella’s brother, sentence her to live her days out in a house of convertites (i.e. prostitutes). Although Bracciano attends the court hearing, he does not take responsibility for his actions. Meanwhile, Flamineo starts an affair with Zanche, Vittoria’s chambermaid, and his older brother, Marcello, becomes quite suspicious of all the goings on, so Flamineo, catching wind of this, kills him off. This is the last straw for Cornelia who finally goes mad with grief. Francisco then finds out that Bracciano had a hand in plotting Isabella’s death and enlists the banished count, Lodovico, and his friend, Gasparo, to kill Bracciano. They are successful, and Flamineo sets out to determine the extent of Vittoria and Zanche’s loyalty. At the climax of the action a double pistol shootout takes place. Vittoria and Zanche try to kill Flamineo, but the bullets in the guns turn out to be blanks. Flamineo, finding out their true intentions, then attempts to kill them, but just as he raises his daggers, Gasparo and Lodovico appear and kill Flamineo, Vittoria, and Zanche. At the end of this bloody Jacobean tragedy, hardly anyone left to witness the madness that has occurred.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
5
First Produced
1612
Genres
Drama
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
padua and rome, italy, 16th century
Cast Size
large
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
blackbox, community theatre, university, professional, College/University, Regional Theatre, Professional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Elderly, Child, Mature Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Vittoria Corombona

Lead

Female

Spoken

Bracciano

Lead

Male

Spoken

Flamineo

Lead

Male

Spoken

Cornelia

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Zanche

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Camillo

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Francisco de Medici

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Isabella de Medici

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Giovanni

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Marcello

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Monticelso

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Hortensio

Featured

Male

Spoken

Jaques

Featured

Male

Spoken

Lodovico

Featured

Male

Spoken

Gasparo

Featured

Male

Spoken

Antonelli

Featured

Male

Spoken

Carlo

Featured

Male

Spoken

Pedro

Featured

Male

Spoken

Aragon

Featured

Male

Spoken

Doctor Julio

Featured

Male

Spoken

Ambassadors, Attendants, Chancellor, Conjurer, Lawyer, Officers and Guards, Page, Servants, Christophero, Guid-Antonio, Armourer, Cardinals, Conclavist, Courtiers, Matron of the House of Convertites, Physicians, Register, Ferneze

Ensemble

Either Gender

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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Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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