The Libertine @ Citizens Theatre

Directed by Dominic Hill, Stephen Jeffrey's The Libertine is being revived for the Citizens' stage. Made famous by the film starring Johnny Depp, the tale of John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, is as much a cautionary tale as it is a reflection of the excesses of the 17th century, and how a man could take a self-destructive path, in spite of his remarkable talent for poetry and playwriting. 

The play itself was premiered in 1994. Twenty years later, it can still evoke the disgust for Rochester's excesses, as well as the intense fascination for the darkness within. He becomes the man who could have been remembered as a talented young gentleman scholar, but was instead a ruthless, hedonistic fiend who sought pleasure through wine and sex, and scribbled a little on the side.

Seemingly, had he been alive today, Wilmot might have been an advocate of the 'rock star' lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Admittedly, he's not a nice person. And yet, it's incredibly difficult not to follow his story to the bitter end. [Eric Karoulla]