Four Nights in Knaresborough

Infobox Play
name = Four Nights in Knaresborough


image_size =
caption =
writer = Paul Webb
chorus =
characters =
mute =
setting = Knaresborough Castle, 1171
date of premiere = November 1999
country of Origin = UK
original language = English
series =
subject = The aftermath of the murder of Thomas Beckett
genre = Historical fiction
web =
playbill_event =
ibdb_id =

"Four Nights in Knaresborough" is a play written by Paul Corcoran (now known as Paul Webb) and first performed at the Tricycle Theatre, London in 1999. It recounts the aftermath of the murder of Thomas Becket by four knights making "the worst career choice in history".Cite web
url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,700748,00.html
title=Look back in rancour (review of premiere)
publisher=The Guardian
accessdate=2007-05-22] Despite being an historical drama, the play uses modern language, including an abundance of profanity and slang.Cite web
url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/incomingFeeds/article774592.ece
title=Doubting castle (review of premiere)
publisher=The Times
accessdate=2007-05-22]

A film version of the play, scripted by Webb and titled "Four Knights" is to be produced by The Weinstein Company, directed by Paul McGuigan.Cite web
url=http://www.timeout.com/film/news/1207.html
title=McGuigan to shoot 'Four Knights'
publisher=Time Out, London
accessdate=2007-05-22] Cite web
url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1083473.ece
title=Hollywood shines a light on geezers who killed à Becket
publisher=The Times
accessdate=2007-05-22]

Characters

*Brito, a knight
*Fitz, a knight
*Morville, a knight
*Traci, a knight
*Catherine, a house-keeper at Knaresborough Castle
*Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury
*John, a visitor to the castle
*Wigmore, a local farmer

Plot

Set in 1171, "Four Nights in Knaresborough" opens in Canterbury Cathedral where four knights, Brito, Fitz, Morville, and Traci come to arrest Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, rather than arresting him, Becket is killed by Fitz.Cite web
url=http://www.onlinereviewlondon.com/reviews/4knights.html
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Riverside production)
publisher=Online Review, London
accessdate=2007-05-22] The knights then flee to Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire where they ensconce themselves for a year to avoid the wrath of the public and the Pope.

Over the course of four evenings, in January, March, September and December, the play portrays the gradual decline of the knights, showing their repressed desires, fears and misgivings. Emphasising clashes of personalities, the play glosses over the deeper political and historical consequences of the murder. [Cite web
url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821003494278
title=Four Nights In Knaresborough (review of UK tour)
publisher=WhatsOnStage.com
accessdate=2007-05-22]

Of the four knights, Morville is the one most upset by his excommunication and isolation and argues that Becket had to die as he was opposing the progressive reforms of King Henry II. He even claims that Henry is playing a careful political game but is really on the knights' side.

Brito is not an aristocrat like the other knights, but is rather a "new man" who joined the others less out of conviction than of opportunism. As the most active and the youngest of the four knights, his imprisonment is a kind of rite of passage and he grows through the play. Brito is also rampantly heterosexual and, despite a mutual attraction between himself and Traci, he chases Catherine and ultimately martyrs himself for her when she succumbs to a fatal disease circulating the village of Knaresborough.

Traci is the most complex character in the play. Guilt-ridden like Morville, he is also in love with Brito. In the past he has had a relationship with the fourth knight, the aristocratic Fitz, but is now very much alone.

While the knights wait out their time in the castle, Catherine keeps the villagers at bay by assuring them that her tenants are seeking penance through a constant cycle of fasting and prayer. Ultimately, she is tried as a witch by water.

History

"Four Nights in Knaresborough" was the first play written by Paul Corcoran (now Paul Webb) and is the only one of his theatrical works to have been performed, receiving its premiere at the Tricycle Theatre, London in 1999.Cite web
url=http://www.pfd.co.uk/clients/webbp/f-pwr.html
title=Paul Webb (Playwright & Screenwriter)
publisher=PFD
accessdate=2007-05-22] This production suffered financial difficulties and director, Richard Wilson, had to put his own salary for the job back into the production to make it happen. [Cite web
url=http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article287304.ece
title=Actors angry as admin eats theatre cash
publisher=The Independent
accessdate=2007-05-22]

Productions

Since its premiere in 1999, there have been a number of additional notable productions of "Four Nights in Knaresborough" across the United Kingdom.;Premiere. Tricycle Theatre, London, November - December 1999
*Cast: Jonny Lee Miller, James Purefoy, Martin Marquez, Christopher Fulford, Mali Harries
*Director: Richard Wilson;UK tour, Autumn 2001 [Cite web
url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&show=T529851216&action=details
title=Production listing (UK tour)
publisher=WhatsOnStage.com
accessdate=2007-05-22]
*Cast: Nick Moran, Robert Cavanagh, Tim Dantay, Joseph Millson, Joy Brook
*Director: Paul Miller;Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 2004 [Cite web
url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/4nightsknares-rev.htm
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Traverse production)
publisher=The British Theatre Guide
accessdate=2007-05-22]
*Cast: Malcolm Hamilton, Adam Tomkins, Kevin MacIssac, James Sutherland, Keith Hutcheon
*Director: Sean Kane;Riverside Studios, London, 23 March - 17 April 2005 [Cite web
url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/4nightsRS-rev.htm
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Riverside production)
publisher=The British Theatre Guide
accessdate=2007-05-22]
*Cast: Demetri Alexander, Ken Bradshaw, Piers Ronan, Peter-Hugo Daly, Juliet Howland
*Director: Peter Farago

Reception

Reviews of "Four Nights in Knaresborough" have been very mixed. In reviewing the premiere, The Times said that the play was confused and did not know whether it was a tragedy of character, a straight historical dramatization, a light comedy, a political-philosophical statement, or a satirical study of sexual longing. Nevertheless, the play sustained interest and it was felt that Webb could produce something remarkable with more discipline. The Guardian review of the premiere, in awarding the play 3 stars, found the play to be a lively debut and thought that Webb could be better if he stopped using four-letter words in an attempt to hold the audience's attention. Indeed, several reviewers have criticised the play's crude and tiresome references to wanking, [Cite web
url=http://www.musicomh.com/theatre/four-nights.htm
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Riverside production)
publisher=MusicOHM.com
accessdate=2007-05-22] and extended turd jokes. [Cite web
url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,,1447086,00.html
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Riverside production)
publisher=The Guardian
accessdate=2007-05-22]

The play's use of modern language and idiom has also received mixed reviews, drawing comparisons with Blackadder, [Cite web
url=http://www.oxfordstudent.com/tt2005wk2/Drama/four_nights_in_knaresbrough
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Burton Taylor production)
publisher=The Oxford Student
accessdate=2007-05-22] A Knight's Tale and Reservoir Dogs. [Cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/stage/2005/05/knaresborough.shtml
title=Four Nights in Knaresborough (review of Burton Taylor production)
publisher=BBC Oxford
accessdate=2007-05-22] The Guardian review of the premiere felt that it was a good, if overused comic device, while the Times thought the language, while adding realism, made the play feel lightweight.

Film adaptation

A film version of the play has been scripted by Webb. Titled "Four Knights", it is being produced by The Weinstein Company, directed by Paul McGuigan and produced by Laurence Bowen of UK-based production company Feelgood Fiction [Cite web
url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117945147.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
title=McGuigan counts on 'Four'
publisher="Variety"
accessdate=2007-05-30]

Harvey Weinstein has told the director to think of the film as being like Young Guns. The screenplay is also reportedly full of action, with the knights always fleeing and being on the road. Filming was due to begin in September 2006.

References

External links

*imdb title|0816503|Four Knights
* [http://www.getreading.co.uk/entertainment/theatre_and_dance/s/2025820_four_nights_in_knaresborough_15408 Get Reading, Reading Evening Post] Review of Progress Theatre production
* [http://www.newburytheatre.co.uk/archive/200804d.htm] Review of Progress Theatre production