Darker

The canon gets darker. That's what's always been told to me about the progression of writing in the Early Modern period. I've found it to be true, certainly with 2023's The Changeling and also looking at The Revengers Tragedy last year - revisiting the play that introduced me to Lazarus in 2015.

But what really struck me about this week's reading of the The White Devil was just how funny it was. In a very contemporary, typically British and dry fashion - Webster had the room bursting out with laughter on multiple occasions throughout the day. It makes sense in a way - the higher the highs the more impactful the lows. The greater the comedy the weightier the drama.

Where the humour shone through, the darkness perhaps hid itself.

Maybe this was Webster's plan? The audience laughs so that they miss the monster hiding in the corner - only to reveal itself when the guard is relaxed. There is a very sinister element to The White Devil that seems to run through every character, we all felt it in the room and all left with further questions to ask of it.

I came away from the session very excited about the prospect of leaning further on both sides of the scales. But also with a great sense of warmth, to be reminded of what it is to be in a room full of actors and creatives working on this country's rich artistic history.

Jamie O'Neill