Bisclavret

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Cast and Crew Marie  de  France  –  Madelaine  Smart  Bisclavret  –  Cameron  Steen  The  Werewolf  –  Priya  Odedra  Lady  –  Mary-­‐‑Jayne  Cooper  Knight  –  Christian  Darnell  King  –  George  Trier  Wise  Courtier  –  Olivia  Colquitt  Courtier  –  Alexandra  Claridge    Director  –  Sarah  Peverley  Script  –  Connor  Brown,  Olivia  Colquitt,  Kym  Nichols,  and    

     Joe  Ramsden  Music  –  Alex  Cottrell  Costumes  –  The  Liverpool  University  Players  Programme  –  Olivia  Colquitt  and  Sarah  Peverley  Cover  Image  –  Alex  Cottrell  

With special thanks to: The   Being  Human   Festival   Organisers   and   Sponsors   (The  School  of  Advanced  Study,  University  of  London,  The  Arts  and   Humanities   Research   Council,   The   British   Academy,  and   The   Wellcome   Trust);   Staff   at   The   Walker   Gallery,  especially   Christina   Waugh   and   Emma   Gilluley;   Glyn  Burgess;  Stephen  Brooks;   and   the   following  groups  at  The  University  of  Liverpool:  The  Friends  of   the  University;  the  Centre  for  Medieval  and  Renaissance  Studies;  the  School  of  the   Arts;   Samantha   Martin   and   Ella   Poyzer   in   The   Press  Office;   and   the   Being   Human  Working   Group,   especially  Chris  Williams  and  Will  Slocombe.  

Bisclavret, the Werewolf  ‘Bisclavret’  is  one  of  twelve  Breton  lais  written  by  a  woman  called  Marie  de  France   in   the   late   twelfth   century.  Originally  written   in  Anglo-­‐‑Norman   (a  variety   of   French  widely   used   in   England   and  Northern   France   from   the  twelfth  to  the  fifteenth  century),  Breton  lais  were  short,  verse  narratives  that  focused   on   adventure,   valiant   knights,   beautiful  maidens,  magic,   and   the  supernatural.  Marie,  who  was  writing   for   the   English   court,   claimed   that  her  lais  originated  from  Brittany,  where  such  tales  were  passed  down  over  generations  and  narrated  by  storytellers  at  gatherings  and   feasts.  We  may  suppose  from  her  work  that  Marie  was  well  educated  and  possessed  a  gift  for  poetry,  but  beyond  this,  her  identity  and  life  are  unknown.              In  contrast  to  some  of  the  other  lais  in  her  collection,  ‘Bisclavret’  has  an  ominous  tone.  Filled  with  strange  beasts,  deception,  chivalry,  and  a  family  curse,   it   explores   a   range   of   topics   such   as   love,   loyalty   and   the  supernatural.   Yet   perhaps   the   most   prominent   question   that   the   tale  prompts   for   twelfth-­‐‑   and   twenty-­‐‑first   century   audiences   alike   is   ‘what  makes   us   human?’  Who   is   the   real   beast?   Is   it   Bisclavret,   the   nobleman-­‐‑werewolf,  who   tries   to   keep  his   hybrid   identity   from  his  wife   knowing   it  will  destroy  their  love,  but  who  later  attacks  her  and  her  lover  so  viciously?  Is  it  the  wife,  who  pledges  undying  loyalty  to  Bisclavret  only  to  betray  him?  Or  is  she  merely  a  victim  of  a  violent,  patriarchal  system  that  forces  her  to  be   dependent   on  men   for   her   safety   in   a  world  where  women  have   little  power?   What   about   her   lover?   He   betrays   a   fellow   knight   to   usurp   his  position,  yet  according  to  the  code  of  courtly  love  he  must  help  and  protect  the  object  of  his  affections.  Perhaps   the  tale  points   to  a  duality   in  all  of  us  and  highlights  the  changeable  nature  of  human  emotions?  Overall,  the  story  seems   to   present   Bisclavret   as   the   hero,   but   these   and   other   ambiguities,  force   us   to   question   each   character’s   morality   and   contemplate   our   own  humanity:  our  strengths,  our  weaknesses,  and  our  place  in  the  world.                  Our   play   is   adapted   from   Glyn   Burgess’s   translation   of   Marie’s  ‘Bisclavret’   (Penguin  Classics,  2nd  ed.,  1999)  and   takes   inspiration  from  the  Middle  Ages,   as  does   the  evocative  music   composed  by  Alex  Cottrell.   It’s  over   eight   hundred   years   since  Marie   first   captivated   audiences  with   her  tale,  and   it   still   continues   to  entertain  and   intrigue  people  the  world  over.  We   hope   our   performance  will   delight   and   inspire   another   generation   to  contemplate  Bisclavret’s  story  and  what  it  means  to  be  human.