Actors bid farewell to their theatre with contraversial play (From News Shopper)

Galleon Theatre Company to perform The Duchess of Malfi as final curtain falls on the Greenwich Playhouse

3:54pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Stage By Nikki Jarvis

Passionate actors will go out in a blaze of murderous, adulterous glory as they face the final curtain at their beloved theatre.

The Duchess of Malfi will be the final production performed by the cast of Galleon Theatre Company at its home in Greenwich Playhouse.

After more than 20 years of service to the arts, the venue has decided to close its doors.

And for the soon-to-be homeless actors, John Webster’s dark masterpiece seemed the perfect play to say farewell with.

Alice de Sousa artistic director of the venue and company, said: “The emotions echo what we are all feeling – emotions are running so high we could not have done a comedy.

“My love of the play has been the main reason for it being the last one - this is the play I fell in love with 20 odd years ago.

“The language is so beautiful.

“He was trying to create new art forms, he was very dark in his outlook and his characters are very strong women.

“He takes chances - he was writing 400 years ago and yet you feel like he is talking to you across the centuries.

“There are issues like incest, adultery, murder, counteracted with beautiful poetry, true love.

“And then all of a sudden you find yourself laughing at something you were shocked by just two seconds before.”

The Duchess of Malfi tells the story of a young widow who marries against the wishes of her powerful brothers, setting off a storm of revenge.

Not only is Alice producing the show, she is also starring in it as the duchess.

“I couldn’t resist playing her.” She said.

“It’s our final production.

“Like Hamlet, this play is always unravelling itself –it’s positively Freudian.

“And it’s a big impact play for our company to, for the time being, part on.”

The cast will be dressed in “timeless designs” with the set will taking on a medieval feel in the 84-seater venue.

Alice said: “You’re so close to the actors you can see the white in their eyes – not like in the West End.

“You feel like you are right there, living these things.

“We are keeping the set quite medieval because the emotions are too strong for our politically correct world.”

Bruce Jamieson, co-founding director of the Greenwich Playhouse and Galleon Theatre Company, is directing the production and playing the cardinal.

He said: “The play is so full of majestic characters, great dialogue, great verse, poetry and a very exciting story.

“It’s very contemporary.

“It works along the same kind of revenge plotlines as the films of Quentin Tarantino.”

Bruce is looking forward to transforming into the disturbed character of the cardinal.

He added: “I appear in it as a very nasty man.

“I kill people hiding behind a veneer of religion and pomp.

“It will be good to be in the final production – I’m usually just directing.”

The company is hoping to find a new home in the borough soon.

In the meantime Alice is working with film company Iris to create a movie version of the play with a budget of 7m euros.

The Duchess of Malfi runs from February 21 to March 18 at the Greenwich Playhouse in High Road.

Tickets are £13 or £10 for concessions.

To book, call 020 8858 9256, email boxoffice@galleontheatre.co.uk or visit galleontheatre.co.uk