The Most Lamentable Tragedy of Alfred and Genevieve

Background

The Most Lamentable Tragedy of Alfred and Genevieve is a dramatic tragedy written collaboratively for the stage by playwright and director Martin Weedle and Professor Francis Chadwick of Westenford, Amasynia in 168 AR. Its first performance was in 170 AR, after initial problems of finding a suitable lead actor. In 170, while rehearsing for the play, Aloisius Treadwell suffered a grievous injury, breaking his left leg when he fell through a rotten stage floor. Six months after the damage, after intense efforts to heal as much of the harm as possible, Treadwell originated the role of Alfred, Lord Harkness, playing it to great celebrity and success within the following year. By 172, however, he was forced to retire the role in favor of taking his father's seat on the Westenford Ruling Council.

The Plot of the Play

The play primarily concerns the historical events surrounding the death of one of Westenford's third Chief Magistrate, one Alfred, Lord Harkness, at the hand of his wife, Genevieve. Referencing events set in 35 AR, the play chronicles the months before and the days immediately after the death of Lord Harkness, who was poisoned by his wife in an effort to win favor with an invading Colonel Leland from The Red Caps. The effort would ultimately backfire, nearly leading to the dissolution of Westenford with Leland's ships having an easy and unchecked advance on the then-growing town that was without stable leadership on the death of its Chief Magistrate who was, at the time, the center holding the entire Ruling Council together. By the end of the play, Genevieve Harkness suffers the same fate of her husband at Leland's hands, leaving Westenford's Chief Magistrate and his wife both deceased, with the future of the town uncertain. Outside of the play, though, Westenford's historical documents record that by 36 AR a mustered rally of forces would eventually fight off the invaders, allowing Westenford to establish itself as having a reasonable naval defense backed by an occasionally shrewd body of leaders.

Chief Characters of the Play and Original Actors

Alfred, Lord Harkness, 65 years old and heavyset, with a cane and a pronounced limp to the left. Third Chief Magistrate of Westenford. Husband of Genevieve. Favored formal attire, especially jewelry. Known for being a pompous buffoon. Poisoned to death by Act IV, Scene I, Line 6. Role originated by Aloisius Treadwell in 170.

Genevieve, Lady Harkness, elderly and slim, except for her considerable bust. Wife of Alfred, Lord Harkness. Known through research to have had a slight stammer to her voice. Fatally poisoned her husband in order to gain favor with the invading Colonel Leland from The Red Caps in 35 AR, but poisoned herself within the next week by Colonel Leland, the event recorded in Act V, Scene II, Line 15. Role originated by Professor Francis Chadwick of Westenford University in 170.

Colonel Barnabas Leland, handsome, young, and muscled. Leader of invading naval forces from The Red Caps. Thought to have been a considerable womanizer and rogue, perhaps the reason for the attentions of Lady Harkness. Role originated by Christopher Hackett in 170 at the initial performance; Hackett was replaced by one Thomas Littlewit by the end of the month at the demand of stage director Martin Weedle. Littlewit stayed in the role for the remainder of the play's run.

Various townsfolk and invading soldiers played through 172 AR by the rest of Weedle's Troupers.

Background of the Revival in 217 AR

On July 6, 217, Aloisius Treadwell was recalled to Westenford by Jonathan M. Lincoln. Lincoln expressed that one Matthew Weedle, grandson of Martin Weedle, had refounded Weedle's Troupers and was looking to revive them with a production of Alfred and Genevieve. Treadwell arrived on the 10th. However, before he could meet Matthew Weedle in person, between the 10th and the 11th, an invading force from the Red Caps had attempted to come close to Westenford; Treadwell, resuming his duties as Chief Magistrate of the Westenford Ruling Council, oversaw a swift preemptive strike from cliff-mounted trebuchets, damaging the boats and imprisoning their crew.

On the 12th, Treadwell finally met Weedle. Weedle's problem was in finding a suitable Alfred, Lord Harkness. Popular recommendation centered entirely on Treadwell based on his performance of forty-five years prior, as it was something of a legend among the remaining elderly citizens who had grown old passing stories of it to their descendants. The initial meetings between director and lead actor went poorly, with Treadwell's arguing with Weedle about the eighteen-year-old director's choices for the play and ultimately taking control of the play's production when Weedle was forced to step down, his young, pregnant wife having been murdered during a robbery by an escaped Red Caps sailor. While the baby was saved and the attacker was hanged on the twentieth, Mr. Weedle would prove unable to lead the play to its performance. Treadwell took the directorial control he desperately wanted, reassigning parts and driving the actors firmly until the group's first performance after lunch on the 24th.

Chief Characters and their actors in the 217 AR Revival

The core of the division between Aloisius Treadwell and Matthew Weedle was that Weedle wanted to make numerous changes to the play's script and characterization, all of which Treadwell vehemently argued against out of respect for the history of the factual events presented on stage and for the memories of the original writers of the play, one of whom had been his friend and first director and the other of whom had been his childhood tutor. Therefore, the characters themselves hold true to the original production as much as possible.

Alfred, Lord Harkness: Played again by Aloisius Treadwell with only a few differences from the original production. Given Treadwell's immense growth over four and a half decades, Lord Harkness is notably three hundred pounds or more heavier than he was in life. Treadwell himself is also seven years older than Harkness was at his passing. For costuming this time, Treadwell simply wore his own clothing on stage, borrowing enough gold rings from Jon Lincoln to round out his fingers.

Genevieve, Lady Harkness: One of Treadwell's chief concerns was finding an appropriate actor for the role of Genevieve. The ideal, to him, would have been someone similarly aged and sized to Professor Francis Chadwick; however, Chadwick's combination of age, size, and an innate stammer could not be replicated. The choice for the role this time went to thirteen year old Digory Wiggins, grandson to Doug Wiggins of the Westenford Ruling Council. The boy is similarly thin to Professor Chadwick, and he happens to have a similar stutter to his voice. Thrust into the role on the 19th, he took quickly to the part, earning Treadwell's praise as "A bright lad well fit for playing my Genevieve!"

Colonel Barnabas Leland: Played this time by one Ralph Turing. Turing was not necessarily the handsomest man to choose from in the revived acting troupe, but, according to Treadwell, "he has the right streak of malice and roguishness in him."

Fetchum: A jester hired for a party that the Harkness family throws in the second act of the play, this is a role that had been regrettably excised in the performances from 170-172 due to the absence of a suitable comedian in that particular gathering of actors, leading to the second act having been trimmed somewhat during its earlier performances. With the presence of Bill Parsons, a portly man accustomed to comedic roles, the jester in yellow and red motley again graces the stage. Treadwell believes him "a man born to comedy," and has enjoyed being able to include some of the funnier scenes where Harkness and Fetchum interact, the latter playfully mocking the former's ineptitude in public.

Various townsfolk and invading soldiers played by the rest of Weedle's Troupers.