Elizabeth Rex
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Rex is a play by Timothy Findley
.
The plot involves a meeting between Queen Elizabeth I and an actor from Shakespeare's troupe who specializes in playing women's parts (since at that time women were not allowed to act in the theatre). The Queen had summoned them to perform "Much Ado About Nothing
" for her to distract her from waiting for the execution for treason of a man she may have loved, the Earl of Essex. She struggles with her feelings, knowing that her whole life she has had to act like a man in order to govern, and has had to reject her passionate side in order to remain unmarried. At the same time, Ned Lowenscroft, a gay man, has had to act like a woman in order to succeed in his profession, and conceal his passionate side since, being gay, his love is forbidden. He is currently mourning a soldier whom he loved, but who also gave him syphilis. His syphilis gives him skin lesions and the play hints that they are analogous to Kaposi's sarcoma
of the modern day. The Queen rejects the idea that she should mourn, while Ned very much wishes to mourn and have his sorrow acknowledged.
One of the play's central themes is challenging notions of gender
, as each of the two protagonists has a problemmatic relationship with the way they enact their gender, and the ways they pretend to a different gender. In one of the play's central lines, Elizabeth says to the actor, "if you will teach me how to be a woman, I will teach you how to be a man."
This play takes place in two different barns on the night before the execution of the earl of Essex. There is a curfew on that night because the authorities are afraid that there will be riots.
The play premiered at the Stratford Festival of Canada
in 2000, starring Diane D'Aquila
and Brent Carver
. It also won the 2000 Governor General's Award
for English language drama
.
In 2002, the play received its American premiere at the Performance Network, Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2004, the play received its northern California premiere in a Pacific Repertory Theatre
production at the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel, Ca. In 2006, the play was produced in Japan. In 2007, it received its Australian premiere from the Canberra Repertory Society. In 2008, it received its French-language premiere (Elizabeth, roi d'Angleterre) at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
in Montreal
, translated by René-Daniel Dubois
. as well as its New York City premiere at the Nicu's Spoon Theater Company
, where it later moved to an Off-Broadway premiere and garnered two NY Innovative Theater Award nominations. In March 2009, the play made its Washington D.C. premiere at the Keegan Theatre. In May 2009, Elizabeth Rex was also staged for the first time in South Korea by Theatre Group Mythos under the direction by professor Oh, Kyong-sook in the Woosuk Repertoire Theater. A production at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
, with Diane D'Aquila
reprising the role of Queen Elizabeth I will open on December 7, 2011.
Timothy Findley
Timothy Irving Frederick Findley, OC, O.Ont was a Canadian novelist and playwright. He was also informally known by the nickname Tiff or Tiffy, an acronym of his initials.-Biography:...
.
The plot involves a meeting between Queen Elizabeth I and an actor from Shakespeare's troupe who specializes in playing women's parts (since at that time women were not allowed to act in the theatre). The Queen had summoned them to perform "Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
" for her to distract her from waiting for the execution for treason of a man she may have loved, the Earl of Essex. She struggles with her feelings, knowing that her whole life she has had to act like a man in order to govern, and has had to reject her passionate side in order to remain unmarried. At the same time, Ned Lowenscroft, a gay man, has had to act like a woman in order to succeed in his profession, and conceal his passionate side since, being gay, his love is forbidden. He is currently mourning a soldier whom he loved, but who also gave him syphilis. His syphilis gives him skin lesions and the play hints that they are analogous to Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma is a tumor caused by Human herpesvirus 8 , also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus . It was originally described by Moritz Kaposi , a Hungarian dermatologist practicing at the University of Vienna in 1872. It became more widely known as one of the AIDS defining...
of the modern day. The Queen rejects the idea that she should mourn, while Ned very much wishes to mourn and have his sorrow acknowledged.
One of the play's central themes is challenging notions of gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, as each of the two protagonists has a problemmatic relationship with the way they enact their gender, and the ways they pretend to a different gender. In one of the play's central lines, Elizabeth says to the actor, "if you will teach me how to be a woman, I will teach you how to be a man."
This play takes place in two different barns on the night before the execution of the earl of Essex. There is a curfew on that night because the authorities are afraid that there will be riots.
The play premiered at the Stratford Festival of Canada
Stratford Festival of Canada
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an internationally recognized annual celebration of theatre running from April to November in the Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario...
in 2000, starring Diane D'Aquila
Diane D'Aquila
Diane D'Aquila is an United States-born Canada-based actor. She has appeared in both television and film roles, but is best-known for her stage appearances at the Stratford Festival. She originated the role of Elizabeth I of England in Timothy Findley's play, Elizabeth Rex...
and Brent Carver
Brent Carver
Brent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love...
. It also won the 2000 Governor General's Award
2000 Governor General's Awards
The 2000 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were presented by Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, and Jean-Louis Roux, Chairman of the Canada Council for the Arts, on November 14 at Rideau Hall.-Fiction:...
for English language drama
Governor General's Award for English language drama
This is a list of recipients of the Governor General's Award for English-language drama. The award was created in 1981 when the Governor General's Award for English language poetry or drama was divided.-1980s:*1981: Sharon Pollock, Blood Relations...
.
In 2002, the play received its American premiere at the Performance Network, Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2004, the play received its northern California premiere in a Pacific Repertory Theatre
Pacific Repertory Theatre
The Pacific Repertory Theatre is a non-profit California corporation, based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, that produces theatrical productions and events, including the annual Carmel Shake-speare Festival, and is the only year-round professional Equity theatre in the Central California Coast...
production at the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel, Ca. In 2006, the play was produced in Japan. In 2007, it received its Australian premiere from the Canberra Repertory Society. In 2008, it received its French-language premiere (Elizabeth, roi d'Angleterre) at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
The Théâtre du Nouveau Monde is a theatre company and venue located on rue Sainte-Catherine in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in , it launched with the classic play L'Avare by Molière....
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, translated by René-Daniel Dubois
René-Daniel Dubois
René-Daniel Dubois is a Québécois playwright and actor.-Movie career:He is best known for his 1985 play Being at Home with Claude, which was adapted into an award-winning film in 1992 and the 2009 Thriller drama 5150 Elm's Way...
. as well as its New York City premiere at the Nicu's Spoon Theater Company
Nicu's Spoon Theater Company
Nicu's Spoon is an inclusion-oriented Off-Off-Broadway theater company in New York City. Its artistic director is Stephanie Barton-Farcas, who won the OOBR award for direction of Suburbia in 2004, the NYU Thom Fluellen Award in 2006 and the 2008 NY Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Actress...
, where it later moved to an Off-Broadway premiere and garnered two NY Innovative Theater Award nominations. In March 2009, the play made its Washington D.C. premiere at the Keegan Theatre. In May 2009, Elizabeth Rex was also staged for the first time in South Korea by Theatre Group Mythos under the direction by professor Oh, Kyong-sook in the Woosuk Repertoire Theater. A production at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a non-profit, professional theater company located at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Its more than six hundred annual performances performed 48 weeks of the year include its critically acclaimed Shakespeare series, its World's Stage touring productions, and youth...
, with Diane D'Aquila
Diane D'Aquila
Diane D'Aquila is an United States-born Canada-based actor. She has appeared in both television and film roles, but is best-known for her stage appearances at the Stratford Festival. She originated the role of Elizabeth I of England in Timothy Findley's play, Elizabeth Rex...
reprising the role of Queen Elizabeth I will open on December 7, 2011.