A Florentine Tragedy
Oscar Wilde
A one-act blank verse drama discovered after Wilde's death. It depicts a merchant named Simone who returns home to find his wife Bianca in the company of a local prince. What begins as a tense social encounter turns into a deadly duel of wits and weapons. The play explores the primal nature of passion and the way violence can unexpectedly reignite desire within a stagnant marriage showcasing Wilde's darker more visceral poetic style.
Simone: A cunning merchant. Bianca: His bored and restless wife. Guido Bardi: The arrogant prince who attempts to seduce Bianca.
First Performance: 1906, at King's Hall, London
Posthumous premiere produced by the Literary Theatre Society; praised for its intense and poetic atmosphere.
Original Actors: George Ingleton