Four Nights in Knaresborough
Encyclopedia
Four Nights in Knaresborough is a play written by Paul Corcoran (now known as Paul Webb) and first performed at the Tricycle Theatre
, London
in 1999. It recounts the aftermath of the murder of Thomas Becket
by four knights making "the worst career choice in history". Despite being an historical drama
, the play uses modern language, including an abundance of profanity and slang.
A film version of the play, scripted by Webb and titled Four Knights is to be produced by The Weinstein Company
, directed by Paul McGuigan
.
where four knights, Brito, Fitz, Morville, and Traci come to arrest Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, rather than arresting him, Becket is killed by Fitz. The knights then flee to Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire where they ensconce themselves for a year to avoid the wrath of the public and the Pope
.
Over the course of four evenings, in January, March, September and December, the play portrays the gradual decline of the knights, showing their repressed desires, fears and misgivings. Emphasising clashes of personalities, the play glosses over the deeper political and historical consequences of the murder.
Of the four knights, Morville is the one most upset by his excommunication and isolation and argues that Becket had to die as he was opposing the progressive reforms of King Henry II
. He even claims that Henry is playing a careful political game but is really on the knights' side.
Brito is not an aristocrat like the other knights, but is rather a "new man" who joined the others less out of conviction than of opportunism. As the most active and the youngest of the four knights, his imprisonment is a kind of rite of passage and he grows through the play. Brito is also rampantly heterosexual and, despite a mutual attraction between himself and Traci, he chases Catherine and ultimately martyrs himself for her when she succumbs to a fatal disease circulating the village of Knaresborough.
Traci is the most complex character in the play. Guilt-ridden like Morville, he is also in love with Brito. In the past he has had a relationship with the fourth knight, the aristocratic Fitz, but is now very much alone.
While the knights wait out their time in the castle, Catherine keeps the villagers at bay by assuring them that her tenants are seeking penance through a constant cycle of fasting and prayer. Ultimately, she is tried as a witch by water.
, London in 1999. This production suffered financial difficulties and director, Richard Wilson, had to put his own salary for the job back into the production to make it happen.
.
Premiere. Tricycle Theatre, London, November - December 1999
UK tour, Autumn 2001
Traverse Theatre
, Scottish Premiere, Edinburgh, 2004
Riverside Studios
, London, 23 March - 17 April 2005
ing, and extended turd
jokes.
The play's use of modern language and idiom
has also received mixed reviews, drawing comparisons with Blackadder
, A Knight's Tale
and Reservoir Dogs
. The Guardian review of the premiere felt that it was a good, if overused comic device, while the Times thought the language, while adding realism, made the play feel lightweight.
, directed by Paul McGuigan
and produced by Laurence Bowen of UK-based production company Feelgood Fiction
Harvey Weinstein
has told the director to think of the film as being like Young Guns
. The screenplay is also reportedly full of action, with the knights always fleeing and being on the road. .
Tricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1999. It recounts the aftermath of the murder of Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
by four knights making "the worst career choice in history". Despite being an historical drama
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
, the play uses modern language, including an abundance of profanity and slang.
A film version of the play, scripted by Webb and titled Four Knights is to be produced by The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
, directed by Paul McGuigan
Paul McGuigan (filmmaker)
Paul McGuigan is a film director, best known for directing films such as Lucky Number Slevin and Push. He has also directed episodes of Sherlock and Monroe.-Filmography:-Awards:...
.
Characters
- BritoRichard le BretonSir Richard le Breton was one of the four knights who murdered Saint Thomas Becket.He was the son of Simon le Bret or Simon Brito of Sampford Brett in Somerset and a near neighbour of the FitzUrses of Williton...
, a knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior.... - FitzReginald FitzurseSir Reginald FitzUrse was one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket in 1170.His name is derived from Fitz which is a contracted form of the Norman-French fils de, meaning "son of" and Urse from the Latin ursus, meaning a bear, probable nom de guerre of his ancestor...
, a knight - Morville, a knight
- TraciWilliam de TracySir William de Tracy, Knt., was Lord of the Manor of Toddington, Gloucestershire, feudal Baron of Bradninch, near Exeter, and Lord of Moretonhampstead, Devon...
, a knight - Catherine, a house-keeper at Knaresborough CastleKnaresborough CastleKnaresborough Castle is a ruined fortress overlooking the River Nidd in the town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England.-History:The castle was first built by a Norman baron in c.1100 on a cliff above the River Nidd. There is documentary evidence dating from 1130 referring to works carried out...
- Becket, the Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
- John, a visitor to the castle
- Wigmore, a local farmer
Plot
Set in 1171, Four Nights in Knaresborough opens in Canterbury CathedralCanterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
where four knights, Brito, Fitz, Morville, and Traci come to arrest Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, rather than arresting him, Becket is killed by Fitz. The knights then flee to Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire where they ensconce themselves for a year to avoid the wrath of the public and the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Over the course of four evenings, in January, March, September and December, the play portrays the gradual decline of the knights, showing their repressed desires, fears and misgivings. Emphasising clashes of personalities, the play glosses over the deeper political and historical consequences of the murder.
Of the four knights, Morville is the one most upset by his excommunication and isolation and argues that Becket had to die as he was opposing the progressive reforms of King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. He even claims that Henry is playing a careful political game but is really on the knights' side.
Brito is not an aristocrat like the other knights, but is rather a "new man" who joined the others less out of conviction than of opportunism. As the most active and the youngest of the four knights, his imprisonment is a kind of rite of passage and he grows through the play. Brito is also rampantly heterosexual and, despite a mutual attraction between himself and Traci, he chases Catherine and ultimately martyrs himself for her when she succumbs to a fatal disease circulating the village of Knaresborough.
Traci is the most complex character in the play. Guilt-ridden like Morville, he is also in love with Brito. In the past he has had a relationship with the fourth knight, the aristocratic Fitz, but is now very much alone.
While the knights wait out their time in the castle, Catherine keeps the villagers at bay by assuring them that her tenants are seeking penance through a constant cycle of fasting and prayer. Ultimately, she is tried as a witch by water.
History
Four Nights in Knaresborough was the first play written by Paul Corcoran (now Paul Webb) and is the only one of his theatrical works to have been performed, receiving its premiere at the Tricycle TheatreTricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
, London in 1999. This production suffered financial difficulties and director, Richard Wilson, had to put his own salary for the job back into the production to make it happen.
Productions
Since its premiere in 1999, there have been a number of additional notable productions of Four Nights in Knaresborough across the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Premiere. Tricycle Theatre, London, November - December 1999
- Cast: Jonny Lee MillerJonny Lee MillerJonathan "Jonny" Lee Miller is an English actor. During the initial days he was best known for his roles in the 1996 films Trainspotting and Hackers...
, James PurefoyJames PurefoyJames Brian Mark Purefoy is an English actor best known for portraying Mark Antony in the HBO series Rome.-Early life and work:...
, Martin MarquezMartin MarquezMartin Marquez is a British actor.He is best known on television for his role as Gino Primirola, the head barman, in the British TV comedy drama Hotel Babylon...
, Christopher Fulford, Mali Harries, Alan Parnaby - Director: Richard Wilson
UK tour, Autumn 2001
- Cast: Nick MoranNick MoranNicholas James "Nick" Moran is an English actor, writer, producer and director, best known for his role as Eddy the card shark in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels...
, Robert Cavanah, Tim DantayTim Dantay-Partial filmography:* Brookside * Making Out * All Creatures Great and Small * EastEnders * Playing the Field * Hollyoaks * Coronation Street * I'm Alan Partridge...
, Joseph Millson, Joy BrookJoy BrookJoy Brook is an English actress who played DC Kerry Holmes in The Bill and Joanne Pearson in Peak Practice... - Director: Paul Miller
Traverse Theatre
Traverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,...
, Scottish Premiere, Edinburgh, 2004
- Cast: Malcolm Hamilton, Adam Tomkins, Kevin MacIsaac, James Sutherland, Keith Hutcheon
- Director: Sean KaneSean KaneSean Kane is a Scottish actor born in Peebles. He trained in acting at Queen Margaret College now Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.-Television and film:...
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
, London, 23 March - 17 April 2005
- Cast: Demetri Alexander, Ken Bradshaw, Piers Ronan, Peter-Hugo Daly, Juliet Howland
- Director: Peter Farago
Reception
Reviews of Four Nights in Knaresborough have been very mixed. In reviewing the premiere, The Times said that the play was confused and did not know whether it was a tragedy of character, a straight historical dramatization, a light comedy, a political-philosophical statement, or a satirical study of sexual longing. Nevertheless, the play sustained interest and it was felt that Webb could produce something remarkable with more discipline. The Guardian review of the premiere, in awarding the play 3 stars, found the play to be a lively debut and thought that Webb could be better if he stopped using four-letter words in an attempt to hold the audience's attention. Indeed, several reviewers have criticised the play's crude and tiresome references to wankWank
Wank may refer to:* WANK , a computer worm that attacked DEC VAX/VMS systems through DECnet in 1989* WANK , a radio station licensed to Lafayette, Florida, United States...
ing, and extended turd
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
jokes.
The play's use of modern language and idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
has also received mixed reviews, drawing comparisons with Blackadder
Blackadder
Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
, A Knight's Tale
A Knight's Tale (film)
A Knight's Tale is a 2001 American action-adventure film directed, produced, and written by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, and James Purefoy as Sir Thomas Colville/Edward, the Black Prince.The...
and Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
. The Guardian review of the premiere felt that it was a good, if overused comic device, while the Times thought the language, while adding realism, made the play feel lightweight.
Film adaptation
A film version of the play has been scripted by Webb. Titled Four Knights, it was produced by The Weinstein CompanyThe Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
, directed by Paul McGuigan
Paul McGuigan (filmmaker)
Paul McGuigan is a film director, best known for directing films such as Lucky Number Slevin and Push. He has also directed episodes of Sherlock and Monroe.-Filmography:-Awards:...
and produced by Laurence Bowen of UK-based production company Feelgood Fiction
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein, CBE is an American film producer and movie studio chairman. He is best known as co-founder of Miramax Films. He and his brother Bob have been co-chairmen of The Weinstein Company, their film production company, since 2005...
has told the director to think of the film as being like Young Guns
Young Guns
Young Guns is a 1988 action/western film, directed by Christopher Cain and written by John Fusco. The film was the first to be produced by Morgan Creek Productions...
. The screenplay is also reportedly full of action, with the knights always fleeing and being on the road. .
External links
- Get Reading, Reading Evening Post Review of Progress TheatreProgress TheatreProgress Theatre is a theatre company owning and managing its own theatre on The Mount, in Reading, Berkshire, England, close to Reading University. The theatre is the oldest one operating in Reading and the only venue in the town dedicated entirely to theatrical productions.The company was formed...
production - http://www.newburytheatre.co.uk/archive/200804d.htm Review of Progress TheatreProgress TheatreProgress Theatre is a theatre company owning and managing its own theatre on The Mount, in Reading, Berkshire, England, close to Reading University. The theatre is the oldest one operating in Reading and the only venue in the town dedicated entirely to theatrical productions.The company was formed...
production