Libertin

ABOUT

“You will not like me. No, really, you will not. Gentlemen will envy me and ladies will be appalled.” The sarcastic historical play from the Enlightenment era tells the story of John Wilmont, known as the Earl of Rochester, a cunning and talented rascal who had lived his short and wild life as a medieval rock star.

As a friend of the English king Charles II he had become famous for ridiculing the English nobility and constantly shocking the London society. John Wilmont was also a genius lyrical poet with a keen interest in pornography. After a careful study of history, Stephen Jeffreys, author of the play, had created an entirely modern and convincing confession and portrait of a scandalist, whose cynicism is thrown into turmoil for the first time when he falls in love. The romance with a theatre actress and the subsequent betrayal announce the beginning of John’s downfall from the heady heights of social prestige and his transformation into a human wreck seeking his last redemption.

The Libertin (the author is signed also under the namesake script starring Johny Depp) does not use the shocking means without purpose. The theme of rebellion and breaking social taboos strives to overcome the social opinion on what it really means to be a free man. At the same time, Libertin is also a top performance of a player who balances above his own abyss, jumping his salto mortale. The fated encounter with a girl, who will shine on the stage, as well as the royal patronage, will remind of yet another famous story: Shakespeare in Love.

CREATORS

Translation: Jan Hančil
Directed by: Janusz Klimsza
Script Editor: Klára Špičková
Scéna: Michal Syrový
Kostýmy: Marcela Lysáčková

OSOBY A OBSAZENÍ

John Wilmot, druhý hrabě z Rochesteru: Jan Maléř
Charles II., monarcha: Zdeněk Hruška
George Etherege, dramatik: Marek Mikulášek
Charles Sackville, Hrabě z Dorsetu a Middlesexu: Michal Štěrba
Tom Vocas, sluha: Jaroslav Matějka
and others