E2

full-length drama

4m/1f

 

Recently crowned, Edward II struggles to lead England while navigating a relationship that could bring about his downfall. A contemporary reimagining of Christopher Marlowe's EDWARD II.

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"Playwright Bartlett ... skillfully distills Marlowe’s large cast of courtiers, clerics and other characters to just a handful of figures, the protagonists in an engrossing, romantic saga that also reflects meaningfully on homophobia, privacy, social inequality and political corruption." -- Celia Wren, Washington Post

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"An imaginative and beautifully executed production ... Striking design, unforgettable performances and superb artistry in Bartlett's poetic new play." -- The Baltimore Sun

 

"Bob Bartlett’s new play E2 certainly proves it can make a head-turning entrance. This bold and sensuous take on the oft-told tale of King Edward II unfolds against a techno-punk frieze of video lighting and color-form columns that turn even austere 14th century stone into a cushy setting for a Studio 54-style blowout." -- DC Metro Theatre Arts

"... [this] dance party on the edge of the apocalypse works smashingly, with brilliant light, looming digital portraits of the characters that are Robert Mapplethorpe-like in their black and white starkness, sumptuous fabrics and a modern, linear set design that rivet the eye." -- DC Theatre Scene