Richard Edwards (7) (–1566)

Two More Early Plays: [Damon and Pithias] 1564 and [Gismond of Salerne] 1566
Neither of the plays are original one is adapted from a Greek story and the other from the Italian renaissance writer Bocaccio, however they are very early examples of English theatre; a Tragicomedy on the one hand and a full blown tragedy on the other. Both of these plays were performed before Queen Elizabeth 1 and both are a good step away from earlier morality plays or interludes.

Damon and Pithias was written by Richard Edwards and tells the story of an extraordinary friendship. Pythias is accused and charged of creating a plot against the tyrannical Dionysius I of Syracuse. Pythias makes a request of Dionysius that he be allowed to settle his affairs on the condition that he leaves his friend, Damon, as a hostage, so if Pythias does not return, Damon would be executed. Eventually, Pythias returns to face execution to the amazement of Dionysius, who because of the sincere trust and love of their friendship, then lets both Damon and Pythias go free. Edwards manages to impart some tension in the story by delaying the return of Pythias and so Damon has his head on the block when Pythias manages to burst through the crowds around the court of Dionysius. Damon and Pythias then calmly debate who should be executed both are more than willing to die for each other.

The play takes a little while to get going but there is some intrigue at the court of Dionysius who is presented as a tyrannical king; one who lives in fear of assassination and who therefore can be manipulated. It is left to Gronos the hangman and later Grimmes the Collier to provide some comedy and some trenchant comments on the behaviour of the courtiers (nobility). This is a speech by Grimmes:

“Yes I trow, blacke Coliers go in threade bare cotes,
Yet so prouide they, that they haue the faire white groates:
Ich may say in counsell, though all day I moyle in dourte,
Chill not change liues with any in Dionisius Courte:
For though their apparell be neuer so fine,
Yet sure their credit is farre worse then mine:
And by cocke I may say, for all their hie lookes,
I know some stickes full deepe in Marchants bookes:
And deeper will fall in, as fame me telles,
As long as in steede of Money, they take vp Haukes hoods & Belles:
Wherby they fall into a swelling disease, which Coliers doo not know
[H]ath a mad name, it is called ich weene, Centum pro cento.
Some other in Courtes, make others laugh merily,
When they wayle and lament their owne estate secretly:
Friendship is dead in Courte, Hipocrisie doth raigne,
Who is in fauour now, to morow is out agayne:
The state is so vncertaine, that I by my wyll,
Will neuer be courtier, but a Colier “

Gismond of Salern was presented before Queen Elizabeth by the Gentlemen of the Temple and consists of five acts each one being written by different authors. It is the stuff of real tragedy: Gismond who has just been widowed returns to Tancred her fathers house where she falls in love with one of his courtiers: the Earl Palurin. Tancred discovers the lovers in flagrante delicto and is insensed because of the Earl’s betrayal and his own and Gismunds reputation. He arranges to have the Earl murdered and to have his heart torn out so that it can be presented to Gismond in a gold drinking cup. Gismond commits suicide by drinking poison from the cup and Tancred kills himself in grief.

A greek chorus is used to provide commentary on the action and despite the play being written by different authors it flows well enough. There is a graphic description of the murder of the Earl which gives the story a real sense of the horror:

"His naked bellie, and unript it so
that out the bowels gusht: who can rehearse
their tyrannie, wherewith my heart yet bleeds
The warm entrails were torn out of his brest
Within their hands trembling not fully dead
His veines smoked, his bowels all to reeked
Ruthless were rent and thrown about the place
All clotted lay the the blood in lumps of gore
Sprent on his corps, and on his paled face,
His trembling heart, yet leaping, out they tore
and cruelly on a rapier
They fixed the same, and in this hateful wise
Unto the king this heart they do present.”

The person who wrote this scene was no doubt familiar with the violence in Greek tragedy.

Two plays that were seen fit to be performed before a queen and now can be read as early examples of English theatre. 3.5 stars.… (mais)