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The School of Night
On May 30 1593, Christopher Marlowe was killed in a brawl in Deptford, London...or was he?
In the company of Thomas Kyd, Sir Walter Raleigh and the mysterious Tom Stone, Marlow sets about writing his finest poem while charges of treason and atheism hang over him. When Kyd is arrested soon after, he implicates Marlowe who is forced into hiding at the now deserted Rose Theatre, once home to his greatest triumphs. Faced with increasing danger, Marlowe must plot his escape from England with the assistance of others whose loyalties appear united but tragically remain divided.
Was his death simply a fight over a tavern bill, as officially recorded? Or was Marlowe, caught up in the minefield of dissidence and treason surrounding the Elizabethan Court, brutally murdered in a trap set by mercenary spies? The mystery surrounding his death and his membership of the clandestine School of Night is brought vividly to life against a backdrop of a politically and religiously divided England.
In the company of Thomas Kyd, Sir Walter Raleigh and the mysterious Tom Stone, Marlow sets about writing his finest poem while charges of treason and atheism hang over him. When Kyd is arrested soon after, he implicates Marlowe who is forced into hiding at the now deserted Rose Theatre, once home to his greatest triumphs. Faced with increasing danger, Marlowe must plot his escape from England with the assistance of others whose loyalties appear united but tragically remain divided.
Was his death simply a fight over a tavern bill, as officially recorded? Or was Marlowe, caught up in the minefield of dissidence and treason surrounding the Elizabethan Court, brutally murdered in a trap set by mercenary spies? The mystery surrounding his death and his membership of the clandestine School of Night is brought vividly to life against a backdrop of a politically and religiously divided England.
- GenresDrama
99 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 1992
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 10, 2018
That was incredibly fun to read, but I’m honestly a sucker for anything about Christopher Marlowe.
August 6, 2009
I found this difficult to get into on this my re-reading of the play. I suspect that is because the first of the two acts is very visual and, not having seen it when the RSC staged it, I was having to work extra hard. Act Two, when the plot really gets under way, was much more satisfying and provided some elegant twists and reinterpretations.
I was first drawn to this during my studies when I came across tantalising mentions of The School of Night. Of course, there is no proof it actually existed or that all the people named as "members" actually knew each other but I expected all the speculation about it, from Elizabethan times onwards, to be much better documented than it was. So, although this is obviously a fiction, I leapt on it, when it came out.
Maybe one day it will be staged again. If it is I will definitely go and see it.
I've just put Whelan's The Herbal Bed on my to buy list. It rings bells with me and I believe I've read it before but am not 100% sure and after reading The School of Night I must have this.
I was first drawn to this during my studies when I came across tantalising mentions of The School of Night. Of course, there is no proof it actually existed or that all the people named as "members" actually knew each other but I expected all the speculation about it, from Elizabethan times onwards, to be much better documented than it was. So, although this is obviously a fiction, I leapt on it, when it came out.
Maybe one day it will be staged again. If it is I will definitely go and see it.
I've just put Whelan's The Herbal Bed on my to buy list. It rings bells with me and I believe I've read it before but am not 100% sure and after reading The School of Night I must have this.
January 27, 2011
Missed seeing this play produced in L.A. a few years ago. Nice take on the Marlowe Shakespeare question.
July 12, 2012
An amazing journey into Elizabethan England full of mystery and politics. I played Ingram Frizer in my drama school production thought and loved every minute of it
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews