Buzzing

I recently participated in a staged reading of the White Devil by John Webster, courtesy of Lazarus Theatre Company, and it was an absolute pleasure to tackle such a dense, knotty, twisty piece of classic theatre within a room of eager, insightful and knowledgeable creatives.

The reading unfolded with a focus on the text, which allowed each thought to land, and though each actor read with script in hand, there were frequently moments where a line delivery would elicit strong reactions from those watching. 

I particularly enjoyed the discussions we had after each act had concluded; the room was buzzing with remarks and observations that helped to clarify and enrich what we had just watched play out, and in the moments where the text dealt with sensitive subjects like sexism and racism, everyone approached the conversation with tact and diplomacy. 

The play does not make it easy to like any of the characters as most of them are manipulating and betraying one another, but because of this it was oh-so satisfying to see many of them get their comeuppance. It was also interesting to note that the play doesn’t present a traditional hero; everyone is corrupt and even the few moral characters like Cornelia and Giovanni are eventually compromised by the end. Powerful characters like Monticelsco and Francisco use the guise of religion and justice to sanction wicked deeds, and Flamineo is undone by his own greed and ambition. 

The experience of this staged reading really helped me to appreciate the nuance and intricacies within Webster’s writing and pointed out to me how much I missed when I read the play alone, and I’m grateful to Lazarus for inviting me to take part.

Joseph Scatley