Reverence was at the Salisbury Playhouse on 13th September 2007
Reverence - A tale of Abelard and Heloise
Around nine centuries ago, French scholar Peter Abelard and his beautiful, young pupil Heloise fell in love.
Exploiting to the full the dramatic potential of Southwark Playhouse’s atmospheric and stylish new venue, writer Gillian Clarke’s retelling of their tale, directed by Joel Scott, underscores its modernity, yet takes us right back to the chilling, medieval horror and complexity of what they endured.
As we wander rapt through cavernous vaults in this promenade performance, we are not just an audience, but religious novices, peering fearfully into the gloom. The lovers’ tragedy is not remote, but a trauma shaking our own community.
Pieter Lawman’s Abelard is fiery, wiry and burning with passionate intelligence. His Heloise (Leandra Ashton) is more sensual, but just as bright and a feminist opponent of blind obedience.
Their great ally is the reassuring, jesting but ultimately tragic Odile (Ian Summers). Those who undo them range from the querulous acolyte Thomas (Michael Cox) to the murderous William (Jason Cheater) and the lusting Canon Fulbert (Patrick Driver).
As Heloise’s jealous uncle, Fulbert deals the cruellest blows to Abelard, not just denying him his manhood, but denying him intellectual influence and ensuring posterity would remember him rather as a doomed lover than the greatest philosopher of his time.
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