Southend Shakespeare Company presents
THE REVENGER'S TRAGEDY
by Thomas Middleton
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
26th April - 30th April 2022
Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat at 7.45pm Sat Mat 3.00pm.
"When the bad bleeds, then is the tragedy good."
THE REVENGER'S TRAGEDY
by Thomas Middleton
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre
26th April - 30th April 2022
Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat at 7.45pm Sat Mat 3.00pm.
"When the bad bleeds, then is the tragedy good."
Passion. Greed. Vengeance. Murder...
Unable to recover from the murder of his partner, Gloriana, Vindice disguises himself to take bloody revenge on the corrupt Duke and his lecherous family, leaving a trail of murder and mayhem in the process. But will his own family survive unscathed?
Full of drama, action and delicious black humour, this classic Jacobean thriller promises to be an unmissable event in the intimacy of the Dixon Studio.
£16.00 / Concs. £1.50 off
Discounts for SSC Members
Box Office 0343 310 0030
Book online and save time at southendtheatres.org.uk
Unable to recover from the murder of his partner, Gloriana, Vindice disguises himself to take bloody revenge on the corrupt Duke and his lecherous family, leaving a trail of murder and mayhem in the process. But will his own family survive unscathed?
Full of drama, action and delicious black humour, this classic Jacobean thriller promises to be an unmissable event in the intimacy of the Dixon Studio.
£16.00 / Concs. £1.50 off
Discounts for SSC Members
Box Office 0343 310 0030
Book online and save time at southendtheatres.org.uk
Cast
Director – James Carter
For more information about the SSC visit our new website at
southendshakespeare.org.uk
- Vindice, the Revenger: Elliot Bigden
- Hippolito, Vindice's brother: Tom Mccarthy
- Castiza, their sister: Lillith Freeman
- Gratiana, their mother: Julie Carter
- The Duke: Denis Foot
- The Duchess: Madeleine Ayres
- Lussurioso, the Duke's son by a previous marriage: Andrew Sugden
- Spurio, the Duke's second son, a bastard: Alex Milbank
- Ambitioso, the Duchess's eldest son: Matthew Willis
- Supervacuo, the Duchess's middle son: Jonathan Buxton
- Junior, the Duchess's third son/Fourth Man: Marius Clements
- Antonio/A Prison Keeper: Ian Hart
- Piero/Second Officer: Liam Bailey
- Guard/Malvado/Third Officer: David Goodger
- Servant/Bribonio/Marcello: Simon Cannon
- Derrochio, The First Officer:- Peter Bailey
- Antonio's wife/Nencia: Maddy Spink
- A Judge/Sordida: Vanessa Osborn
- Rapacia:- Tracey Anne Bourne
- Fanciulla:- Elena Clements
Director – James Carter
For more information about the SSC visit our new website at
southendshakespeare.org.uk
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CURTAIN CALL
with Elliot Bigden, 27, (below) who lives in Hadleigh. Elliot takes on the titular role of the play and tells us more about himself here...
with Elliot Bigden, 27, (below) who lives in Hadleigh. Elliot takes on the titular role of the play and tells us more about himself here...
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When did you start to take an interest in theatre? Did you take part in any productions at school?
I started acting from the age of three, when I would perform silly little stories using my windowsill as the stage and blu-tacking crayon drawings to the windows as sets. My parents pretty much sent me into drama classes as soon as I got into school and got to play the lead role in the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I haven’t stopped since, Are or were any members of your immediate family involved in drama? Both my parents enjoy the theatre, but my grandmother in her youth wanted to be a dancer, unfortunately she gave that up during WW2. She was apparently very proud to see someone in her family on the stage and would tell those who would listen about it every chance they got. Have you done any sort of formal training for acting/singing/dancing? If you could hear my singing, you would know the answer for one of them. I have done LAMDA exams from Grade 1 to Gold, getting a distinction in my gold award. But most of my knowledge in performance was gained from performing with local theatre troupes such as the Southend Shakespeare Company. There is such a wealth of knowledge and experience in Southend and so many who are willing to share and influence. |
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Do you have any specialist skills – anything from stilt walking to dress-making – which you work into your repertoire?
The only thing that springs to mind is I have a slight talent for voices, it’s only a small thing but I have to make sure that any character I play has their own separate voice to mine. Vindice has proved a challenge here, as he ends up using multiple disguises in his bloody quest.
Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your am dram career to date?
That would be playing Chadwick Meade in a performance of Simon Stephen’s “Punk Rock.” The play focuses on 6 children preparing to take their GCSE mocks and it deals with the pressure that and society places on them. It is a glorious play, and my character was the timid nerd who was constantly bullied, so when I stood up to my oppressor and gave a monologue on the doomed future of society you could feel the tension in the room.
The highlight came when I go to leave, make a slight joke and slam the door. The audience laughed and started to break out into applause. I will always remember leaning against that door, soaking in a full audience applauding that small child Chadwick Meade.
What has been your most embarrassing moment involving drama, on or off stage?
Oh goodness, unfortunately due to my clumsiness there are a few to choose from.
The biggest embarrassment for me was in a performance of Henry IV Part One. During one scene Falstaff is bad mouthing my character, the prince, unaware that the prince has entered the tavern and is listening to every word.
Unfortunately, on one night when he turned around, I wasn’t on stage in my place, but instead backstage having a conversation about Game of Thrones. It was rather overwhelming to be dragged to the wings and then calmly saunter on stage like nothing was amiss.
How do you earn your living?
I am a Progress Coach at Seevic College.
Following on from the previous question, has your theatre career ever been useful in your day job, and/or have you ever drawn on your day job for any of your stage activities?
Delivering classes in front of students is nigh on identical to performing on stage. Everything I do in my work is influenced by theatre. I also sometimes perform with the Laughter Academy in Southend, that has very much helped with my skills at thinking on my feet.
Are your friends mostly involved in theatre - perhaps even working with you on a regular basis - or do you socialise across a wider circle?
Most of my friends I have made through theatre, it’s been a pleasure to go to rehearsals and then follow it up with a trip to the pub afterwards all spent in some great company.
Which actor do you most admire and why?
I would be amiss to say I don’t see David Tennant as one of my heroes. If I could have any career in acting it would be his. Doctor Who, Good Omens and the sheer amount of Shakespeare he has done. I personally enjoy his Shakespeare for the beauty he brings to every role. I am rather annoyed at the lockdowns as I had tickets to see him live and the show was cancelled due to the pandemic.
What role would you most like to play and why?
I was very fortunate to have had the chance to perform my dream role a few years ago as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” I always loved Puck for the chance to be a mischief maker and run around the stage like a madcap, clearly the emotional depth all actors look for in a role. And so, with Puck ticked off my bucket list, I guess at the risk of seeming egotistical, I would really love a shot at Hamlet.
I’ve always seen Hamlet performed as a sad and crying man, when I think personally, he is in some ways the first millennial. Slap a coat of nihilistic humour on top of “to be or not to be” and you have a voice of a generation written 400 years before them. I would like to see whether my theory actually plays out.
Ever corpsed on stage? What happened?
I don’t know whether this would count as corpsing, but I was once in ‘Journeys End’ playing the young lad Raleigh. There was one point where a hot meal is placed in front of me, and anyone who knows me knows that food is my weakness.
One night, I was so enjoying the meal I forgot that I was onstage. I just so happened to tune back into the conversation onstage right as my cue line was said. I panicked and damn near choked myself swallowing everything in my mouth at the time, but I said the line and I don’t think anyone noticed. Well, I’m hopeful anyway.
Tell us a bit about your part in "The Revenger’s Tragedy".
I play Vindice, a man whose wife has been murdered by a lustful duke, so I set out to murder his entire family in revenge. I do this by working in his household disguised as the pimp Piato. I spend majority of the play switching between these two characters.
I have put a lot of work trying to make sure that Piato and Vindice are separate enough that the audience can tell which is which. Especially as there are a lot of times when I am in the scene as Piato, then will quickly speak to the audience as Vindice before returning to Piato.
The challenge of the part has been a fun challenge, and I am excited to see how audiences respond to the carnage.
Any plans for the future, after "The Revenger’s Tragedy"?
I am very excited to say that I have my directorial debut this year with Shakespeare’s popular love tale ‘Romeo and Juliet.’
Set in the 70s/80s I’m hoping for a high action and energetic show filled with laughter and tears. And with a play aiming for a young cast, I aim to have it as a great introduction to Shakespeare for those both onstage and in the audience. So, if there are any budding Romeos or Juliets out there reading this, please contact the Southend Shakespeare Company to find out more!
Any tricks for remembering your lines or other useful tips to pass on to others involved in drama?
I always try to split my monologues into different sections, so instead of learning a great chunk of text you learn them all bit by bit. Then find the words in the previous section that follow the train of thought to connect them together. Till you have a little journey in your head. Other than that, for anyone wanting to get involved in drama, the best advice I have is make mistakes and get things wrong. The actors who I have worked with that I admire most, are those that make bold choices and commit to them in the rehearsal space. Unafraid of the director saying 'Can you do this instead?'
The only thing that springs to mind is I have a slight talent for voices, it’s only a small thing but I have to make sure that any character I play has their own separate voice to mine. Vindice has proved a challenge here, as he ends up using multiple disguises in his bloody quest.
Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your am dram career to date?
That would be playing Chadwick Meade in a performance of Simon Stephen’s “Punk Rock.” The play focuses on 6 children preparing to take their GCSE mocks and it deals with the pressure that and society places on them. It is a glorious play, and my character was the timid nerd who was constantly bullied, so when I stood up to my oppressor and gave a monologue on the doomed future of society you could feel the tension in the room.
The highlight came when I go to leave, make a slight joke and slam the door. The audience laughed and started to break out into applause. I will always remember leaning against that door, soaking in a full audience applauding that small child Chadwick Meade.
What has been your most embarrassing moment involving drama, on or off stage?
Oh goodness, unfortunately due to my clumsiness there are a few to choose from.
The biggest embarrassment for me was in a performance of Henry IV Part One. During one scene Falstaff is bad mouthing my character, the prince, unaware that the prince has entered the tavern and is listening to every word.
Unfortunately, on one night when he turned around, I wasn’t on stage in my place, but instead backstage having a conversation about Game of Thrones. It was rather overwhelming to be dragged to the wings and then calmly saunter on stage like nothing was amiss.
How do you earn your living?
I am a Progress Coach at Seevic College.
Following on from the previous question, has your theatre career ever been useful in your day job, and/or have you ever drawn on your day job for any of your stage activities?
Delivering classes in front of students is nigh on identical to performing on stage. Everything I do in my work is influenced by theatre. I also sometimes perform with the Laughter Academy in Southend, that has very much helped with my skills at thinking on my feet.
Are your friends mostly involved in theatre - perhaps even working with you on a regular basis - or do you socialise across a wider circle?
Most of my friends I have made through theatre, it’s been a pleasure to go to rehearsals and then follow it up with a trip to the pub afterwards all spent in some great company.
Which actor do you most admire and why?
I would be amiss to say I don’t see David Tennant as one of my heroes. If I could have any career in acting it would be his. Doctor Who, Good Omens and the sheer amount of Shakespeare he has done. I personally enjoy his Shakespeare for the beauty he brings to every role. I am rather annoyed at the lockdowns as I had tickets to see him live and the show was cancelled due to the pandemic.
What role would you most like to play and why?
I was very fortunate to have had the chance to perform my dream role a few years ago as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” I always loved Puck for the chance to be a mischief maker and run around the stage like a madcap, clearly the emotional depth all actors look for in a role. And so, with Puck ticked off my bucket list, I guess at the risk of seeming egotistical, I would really love a shot at Hamlet.
I’ve always seen Hamlet performed as a sad and crying man, when I think personally, he is in some ways the first millennial. Slap a coat of nihilistic humour on top of “to be or not to be” and you have a voice of a generation written 400 years before them. I would like to see whether my theory actually plays out.
Ever corpsed on stage? What happened?
I don’t know whether this would count as corpsing, but I was once in ‘Journeys End’ playing the young lad Raleigh. There was one point where a hot meal is placed in front of me, and anyone who knows me knows that food is my weakness.
One night, I was so enjoying the meal I forgot that I was onstage. I just so happened to tune back into the conversation onstage right as my cue line was said. I panicked and damn near choked myself swallowing everything in my mouth at the time, but I said the line and I don’t think anyone noticed. Well, I’m hopeful anyway.
Tell us a bit about your part in "The Revenger’s Tragedy".
I play Vindice, a man whose wife has been murdered by a lustful duke, so I set out to murder his entire family in revenge. I do this by working in his household disguised as the pimp Piato. I spend majority of the play switching between these two characters.
I have put a lot of work trying to make sure that Piato and Vindice are separate enough that the audience can tell which is which. Especially as there are a lot of times when I am in the scene as Piato, then will quickly speak to the audience as Vindice before returning to Piato.
The challenge of the part has been a fun challenge, and I am excited to see how audiences respond to the carnage.
Any plans for the future, after "The Revenger’s Tragedy"?
I am very excited to say that I have my directorial debut this year with Shakespeare’s popular love tale ‘Romeo and Juliet.’
Set in the 70s/80s I’m hoping for a high action and energetic show filled with laughter and tears. And with a play aiming for a young cast, I aim to have it as a great introduction to Shakespeare for those both onstage and in the audience. So, if there are any budding Romeos or Juliets out there reading this, please contact the Southend Shakespeare Company to find out more!
Any tricks for remembering your lines or other useful tips to pass on to others involved in drama?
I always try to split my monologues into different sections, so instead of learning a great chunk of text you learn them all bit by bit. Then find the words in the previous section that follow the train of thought to connect them together. Till you have a little journey in your head. Other than that, for anyone wanting to get involved in drama, the best advice I have is make mistakes and get things wrong. The actors who I have worked with that I admire most, are those that make bold choices and commit to them in the rehearsal space. Unafraid of the director saying 'Can you do this instead?'