‘The Picture‘ was an extraordinary production by Philip Wilson at Salisbury Playhouse of Philip Massinger’s 1629 epic drama, unperformed for over 200 years, and starring Olivia Grant. It’s a kind of Renaissance version of ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’; knight sets off for war, but in a fit of paranoia about his wife’s faithfulness in his absence, asks his wizard pal to create a magic picture that will discolour when she strays…wife discovers device, all hell breaks loose, etc…
Although the play’s set in medieval ‘Bohemia’ (notionally Hungary) Philip updated the production to the nineteenth century, which let us play with all sorts of interesting ideas about early photographic techniques.
As well as clarinet (Kate Luxmoore) and vocals by Jeremy Avis, the score also featured some fabulous nyckelharpa playing by Clare Salaman.
