The Revenger's Tragedy

The University of Waterloo Drama Department is pleased to present Cyril Tourneur's savage play of 'wild justice', The Revenger's Tragedy. Tourneur (1580-1626) was but one of many talented playwrights in the golden age of Elizabethan theatre, an age that included such 'brighter lights' as Marlowe, Jonson, Dekker, Middleton (who is argued to be the actual playwright of The Revenger's Tragedy) and, of course, Shakespeare. yet, he is unique in the clarity and the savagery of his vision, viewing the world as inherently and almost overwhelmingly evil. The play is a tale of rape and adultery, power and suffering, sin and vengeance, brightened or darkened with bizarre humour, disguises, poisonings, dramatic irony, and the highest body count of all of Elizabethan Drama.