With a bare stage, a small table and six folding chairs, David Erdos with his company entranced a full house at The Cockpit Theatre for four hours with their dramatized reading of Heathcote Williams’ new play, Killing Kit.
The play documents the circumstances surrounding Kit Marlowe’s death associating him with Gareth Williams, Dr David Kelly, Stephen Ward and Allan Turing, all British Intelligence workers who committed suicide by persons unknown.
The action opens with the butchering of lambs in a slaughterhouse and ends in much the same way. Between visits to the shambles we see plays, boys, deals and plots made and unmade under the deadly gaze of Elizabeth and her spy master Sir Francis Walsingham.
With two words, “No trial.” the Queen herself brings brilliant, swaggering, brawling, buggering, ten times life size Kit to his sad and untimely end.
A brilliant play surfing on waves of magic amplified by the presence of the author in the audience. Grieve not if you missed it, although this performance was a one night stand, this play will certainly be back.
Alan J. Mirren: Kit
Timothy Hibberd: Walsingham
Alexander Dower: Walter Raleigh
Victoria Croft: Elizabeth I
Anthony Ofoegbu: Lord Burghley
Ean Ravenscroft: Henslowe
Simon Cash: Carey
Sebastian Sabene: Youth