the Tragical History of

MARGARET

Queen of England

a new tragedy from Shakespeare’s earliest histories

 words by Shakespeare

cut and direction by John-Michael MacDonald

Tuesday 23 May, 7:30 p.m.

 Round House Theatre Silver Spring

8641 Colesville Rd

Silver Spring MD 20910

 admission free

 information, reservations: queenmargaretplay@yahoo.com

Shakespeare’s Henry VI history plays tell the story of the War of the Roses on an epic scale. The Tragical History of Margaret, Queen of England distills those three plays to tell a more intimate story of one woman’s struggle to survive and thrive in a world of men.

 Margaret and Joan of Arc are captured by English soldiers on the same day, but even as Joan is burned, Margaret is shipped across the Channel to marry King Henry VI of England. In Henry’s court, Margaret learns to play the dangerous game of politics, transforming from a ‘downy cygnet’ to the ‘she-wolf of France.’ When rebellion breaks out, she reveals herself to be a ‘tiger’s heart wrapped in a woman’s hide,’ fighting mercilessly to save everything she holds dear.

 From some of Shakespeare’s least known plays comes one of his greatest female characters, brought alive by Kate Eastwood Norris.

This reading is made possible by the generous support of The Kitchen, Round House Theatre's theatre lab.