Deemed by many to be Marlowe’s crowning achievement, Edward II features the playwright’s most nuanced characters and some of his finest language. In the weak, stubborn character of Edward II, Marlowe created a compelling portrait of a flawed monarch. Though the son of a great general, Edward is an ineffectual king, and, in the grips of a romantic obsession, he fails to recognize the threats to his crown. As the play unfolds, Marlowe turns the doomed Edward into a more tragic figure, contrasting his plight with the ruthless nobles who depose him. Gale Edwards (Titus Andronicus, Richard III, Hamlet) returns to direct. The Washington Post described her production of Richard III as “compulsively watchable ... restlessly inventive.” Wallace Acton returns for the first time since his 2003 performance as Richard III to play the title role.

Age-Appropriateness

Edward II is sponsored by the Lawyers Committee for the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
The Marlowe Repertory is supported by a generous grant from Michael Klein and Joan Fabry.

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