The Madness of Love
A feast of physical comedy. Hilarious, irreverent, rich in emotion!
Welcome to the world of Commedia dell’Arte, popular comic theatre from 16th century Italy that gave birth to so much of our comedy. Fawlty Towers, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, Punch and Judy, every Double Act all come from Commedia.
THE MADNESS OF LOVE! updates a 400-year-old scenario to reveal Lovers, Servants, and Masters entangled in a comic world rich in passion, love, and stupidity.
Pantalone, takes his daughter, Isabella, against her will, to a distant city to be married to his rich friend. Her true love, Oratio, sets out to rescue her. He, in turn is pursued by hot-headed Flaminia. She is desperate to ensure the marriage goes ahead, convinced Oratio love her once Isabella is out of his grasp. To avoid the marriage, Isabella feigns madness. Oratio and then Flaminia really do go mad. A prophet arises predicting that the madness will multiply as Judgment Day beckons. Fear and panic multiply.
SHIFTING SANDS create theatre that is both full of laughter and clowning yet rich in emotion. It has won critical acclaim for playful, accessible adaptations of epic tales and classic texts - Faustus, King Lear, Great Expectations and The Seagull.
The company now update a 400-year-old scenario yet stay faithful to the themes of the original. There is irreverence but no parody. The result – engaging, accessible, exhilarating theatre.
FREE Play & Perform Workshop
There is a free PLAY & PERFORM workshop at 4pm-6pm on the day of the performance. Participants are invited to perform in the show!
This is an externally managed event, to book a place email Shifting Sands Theatre directly at shiftingsandstheatre@hotmail.com
Audience Feedback
"The acting was brilliant! Also liked the music! The characters well drawn and executed. Comedy and philosophy combined."- Audience Feedback
"Liked the energy, the Madness, the speaking to audience, the laughs, the message."- Audience Feedback
"Brilliant comments about love and madness. Loved the Finale"- Audience Feedback
"Loved its warmth, its characters, its craziness"- Audience Feedback
"Liked the comic timing, unpredictable, very physical."- Audience Feedback