• Overview
• Staging information
• Translations
• Sample translations
• Production history

Scene

A three-act play; the third act is longer than the other two. There are many scene changes marked by entrances and exits of characters, but only three locations; most of the play takes place within the palace of the Sultan, the Great Turk.

Staging

The setting (the Ottoman court in Constantinople) and multicultural cast of characters indicate an Ottoman atmosphere with Spanish touches. The play is rife with both cultural and gender dressing-up, as characters of Spanish origin have taken on Muslim dress, some are in disguise (Roberto is a Spaniard dressing and talking like a Greek) and Lamberto, a young man, is dressed as a woman. The Great Turk is dressed expansively, with attendants in his style. A Turkish page carries an arrow, and boys bring in green velvet bags for carrying the Great Turk’s important documents. Catalina is dressed in a long robe in the Turkish style, as she has been imprisoned away from her Spanish home since she was a child. Madrigal, originally from Spain, is dressed as a prisoner. Costume in this play is thus an indicator of status, whether as captor or captive, as well as of religion, as with the Jewish family. Those with ambassadorial roles tend to be especially elegantly dressed. In terms of staging, there should be an upper balcony for the Jewish family’s home so that Madrigal can yell up to them from the street. There are three main locations: the Great Turk’s palace, an interior space with public receiving rooms and private space, resplendent with velvet cushions and green silk curtains; and the prisoners’ realm, uncomfortable but not by any means torturous, as the captives are well-treated; and outside in the street. Presumably Madrigal’s elephant need not actually appear onstage, but creative staging could have fun with his elephant-training. The sound of trumpets is heard, and Madrigal carries a small tin trumpet. Catalina carries a rosary at the end of the second act. In the third act, Catalina’s Christian father is dressed in black, as he mourns his daughter’s impending marriage to a Turk. When Catalina appears for her wedding, she is dressed as a Christian, in Spanish style, as elegantly as possible, and the musicians and Madrigal are also dressed extravagantly, although in a Moorish ceremonial style. The dancing is important—there is Spanish music in honour of Catalina, with Spanish dancing, but she left Spain too young to know any of the dances, so Madrigal teaches her the steps. There is much celebration and lantern-lighting at the end of the play.

Cast number

Minimum	Maximum
6 males	22 males
3 females	5 females
9 (total)	27 (total)

Cast information

It is difficult to stipulate the cast requirements as the play could be done with probably a minimum of 8 actors but perhaps with as few as 6, and options for doubling and female and male cross-casting abound.

Characters

• SALEC, A converted Turk
• ROBERTO, A Christian who has converted to Islam
• A MUSLIM WOMAN
• SULTAN (THE ‘GREAT TURK’), Whose name is Amurates
• A PAGE, Dressed in the Ottoman style, with three other young French men who are stereotypically effeminate
• MAMÍ, Eunuch, servant to the Sultan
• RUSTÁN, Eunuch, servant to the Sultan
• CATALINA, Becomes the Sultan’s wife
• CATALINA’S FATHER
• MADRIGAL, A Christian prisoner, comic-servant
• ANDREA, The Spy
• TWO JEWS
• PERSIAN AMBASSADOR
• TWO MOORS
• THE GRAN CADÍ, Who is a ‘bishop-judge’
• FOUR OLD PASHAS
• CLARA, Transylvanian prisoner going by the name Zaida
• LAMBERTO, Transylvanian man dressed as a woman, going by the name Zelinda
• AN OLD PRISONER
• TWO MUSICIANS

Entry written by Kathleen Jeffs. Last updated on 15 November 2010.

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