Doubling Up

The ghost of Don Andrea is crucial to the overarching theme of a revenge tragedy, where and characters are made mad by thwarted desire and violence begets violence in the name of revenge. Through deceit, retelling of stories, and Hieronimo's play within a play, the audience has the frame as a quick reference; to never forget this is a tale of revenge. In terms of the stage and how to make this play work for an audience, I think the frame creates a visual touchstone in an otherwise chaotic narrative. 

I have chosen keep the original ending as the chorus of Don Andrea and Revenge as the frame. However, because I only have five actors to work with, I am faced with the challenge of casting, and cutting roles. Having the actors double-up their roles allowed me some further creative expression. I decided that the same actor that plays revenge will play Hieronimo, and the same actor that plays Andrea will play Balthazar. Yes, they will have to move in and out of frame and character during the very same scene, but I think this will work to a creative advantage. They will step into a deep red light when they are acting as the ghost of Don Andrea and Revenge. This visual symbol, via lighting,  will work to convey a frame and distinguish the same actor as two discrete characters. This will help the audience get it. Not to mention the implications of paralleling Revenge and Hieronimo and Balthazar and Andrea! This, I think, works wonderfully. Hieronimo is our protagonist in this Revenge tragedy, so yes, yes, yes to the irony that he shall be played by Revenge! Also, we shall draw Balthazar and Andrea as mirror images of each other. After all, even though Andrea talks of being taken from his Bel-Imperia, he cares more about being killed in battle than about losing his love. Does he even care that she dies at the end? No. He may want us to think otherwise but we know the truth. No, Horatio is the only romantic in this play, not Andrea. Think about this: Andrea becomes just as hot-headed as Balthazar by the end of this play, they can be performed with a very similar character and by the same actor.