The Spanish Tragedy The Cottesloe Theatre - 1982

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The Spanish TragedyThe Cottesloe Theatre - 1982

• Scene Synopsis

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Act I

• i Prologue. Revenge and Ghost of Andrea.
• ii King of Spain hears of capture of Balthazar
  (Prince of Portugal), Son of Viceroy of Portugal.
• iii Villupo tricks Viceroy (Portugal) into
  thinking Alexandro has killed Balthazar.
• iv Bel-Imperia (Lorenzos sister) hears of
  Andreas death from Horatio. He tells her that
  Balthazar has killed Andrea. She decides to love
  Horatio and have him avenge Andreas death.
• Balthazar tries to court Bel-Imperia.
• Portugal Ambassador arrives.
• v Banquet. Hieronimo (Marshal of Spain) shows
  masque of three English lords defeat of Spain.
• vi Revenge tells Andrea hell turn the king and
  Ambassadors pleasures to war.

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Act II

• i Lorenzo and Balthazar discuss Bel-Imperias
  disdain for Balthazar.
• Lorenzo bribes and threatens Pedringano
  (Bel-Imperias servant) to reveal Bel-Imperias
  true love for Horatio.
• ii Lorenzo and Balthazar overhear Bel-Imperia and
  Horatio agree to consummate their love in the
  garden.
• iii The King agrees with Portugals Ambassador
  to try to arrange a match with Balthazar, the
  Prince of Portugal.
• iv Lorenzo and Balthazar discover Bel-Imperia
  and Horatio making love and stab Horatio,
  removing Bel-Imperia.
• v Hieronimo and Isabella discover the dead
  Horatio and swear revenge against their sons
  murderers.
• vi Andrea bemoans the death of Horatio, Revenge
  assures him theyll get even with Balthazar.

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Act III (i-iv)

• i The Viceroy is about to put Alexandro to
  death, as he is accused by Villupo of killing
  Balthazar, but the Ambassador arrives with news
  of Balthazars life. Villupo is seized and taken
  to be tortured for his false accusations.
• ii Hieronimo bemoans the death of his son
  Horatio. He finds a letter from Bel-Imperia,
  written in blood bidding him to revenge Horatios
  death. Hieronimo meets Lorenzo and Pedringano and
  enquires after Bel-Imperia. This rouses their
  suspicions and they plan to kill Serberine
  (Balthazars servant) who they believe has told
  of Horatios death.
• Pedringano is ordered by Lorenzo to kill
  Serberine in Saint Luigis Park where he has been
  seen by a page.
• iii Pedringano shoots Serberine with his pistol
  but is arrested by the watch.
• iv Balthazar and Lorenzo believe that they are
  betrayed to Hieronimo. Page brings news of
  Pedringano killing Serberine. Balthazar condemns
  Pedringano much to Lorenzos delight for he
  wants to keep his hands clean. Lorenzo secretly
  sends box (supposedly containing a pardon letter)
  and encouragement to Pedringano to keep him quiet.

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Act III (v-xi)

• v Boy discovers that box is empty.
• vi Pedringano, staying loyal to Lorenzo, rests
  with Hieronimo and hangman supposing there
  is a pardon. He is hanged.
• vii Hieronimo bemoans the loss of his son.
  Hangman reveals that after hanging Pedringano he
  has discovered a letter from Pedringano to
  Lorenzo in which he tells of Lorenzo and
  Balthazars involvement in Horatios death.
  Hieronimo decides to seek justice from the King.
• viii Isabella distractedly bemoans the loss of
  her son.
• ix Bel-Imperia reflects on the position of her
  brother Lorenzo and Hieronimo over Horatios
  death.
• x Lorenzo and Balthazar try to persuade
  Bel-Imperia that Horatios death was to protect
  her honour.
• xi Two Portuguese gentlemen ask Hieronimo the
  way to Lorenzos house. He answers with a moral
  metaphor.

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Act III (xii-xv)

• xii Hieronimo reflects on whether to kill
  himself but decides to approach the King instead.
  The Portuguese Ambassador reports that the
  Viceroy is delighted with the plan for Balthazar
  to marry Bel-Imperia.
• xiii Hieronimo reflects on how to avenge
  Horatios death.
• Hieronimo hears three petitioners who wish him
  to represent them. One of these old men wants
  justice for his murdered son, which spurns
  Hieronimo to revenge. Hieronimo mistakes the old
  man, Bazulto, for a changed form of his own son.
• xiv King of Spain and Viceroy of Portugal agree
  to the wedding of Bel-Imperia and Balthazar.
  Castile (brother the King of Spain and father of
  Bel-Imperia and Lorenzo) asks his son Lorenzo
  about the news of his having wronged Hieronimo
  which Lorenzo denies.
• Hieronimo pretends to reconciliation with
  Lorenzo.
• xv Ghost of Andrea suggests that Revenge is
  sleeping. But Revenges Dumb Show shows Hymen
  extinguishing nuptial torches with blood,
  illustrating that if Andrea is patient Balthazar
  will meet his just demise. Seeing this Andreas
  Ghost is content that Revenge is still eager.

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Act IV

• i Bel-Imperia chides Hieronimo for seeing to
  have abandoned revenging his sons death.
  Hieronimo assures her this is not so and they vow
  their determination.
• Hieronimo arranges for himself, Bel-Imperia,
  Lorenzo and Balthazar to act a play for the
  court.
• ii Isabella crosses the garden where Horatio was
  killed and stabs herself in the heart.
• iii Hieronimo sets the stage for the play and
  bids Castile to throw down the key to the gallery
  once the lords are seated. He then pledges
  revenge.
• iv Hieronimo shows his play to the King,
  castile, the Viceroy and the court. During the
  course of the play Hieronimos character stabs
  Lorenzo and Bel-Imperias character kills
  Balthazar and herself. After this Hieronimo
  reveals the body of his dead son, Horatio,
  justifying his revenge. He runs to kill himself
  but is stopped by the king who urges him under
  threat of torture for more of an explanation.
  Hieronimo refuses and bites out his tongue. The
  King orders Hieronimo to write an explanation.
  Hieronimo asks for a knife to sharpen his pen and
  with it he stabs Castile and then himself. The
  Viceroy asks his brother to set him and his dead
  son Balthazar to sea in an unmanned ship.
• v Epilogue. Ghost of Andrea and Revenge. Now the
  endless revenge and justice of the underworld can
  commence.