By Liz Duffy Adams
Directed by Rob Melrose
World Premiere Play
Neuhaus Theatre
Recommended for High School age and up
85 minutes with no intermission
An aging authoritarian ruler, a violent police state, a restless polarized people seething with paranoia: it’s a dangerous time for poets. Two of them—the great Kit Marlowe and the up-and-comer Will Shakespeare—meet in the back room of a pub to collaborate on a history play cycle, navigate the perils of art under a totalitarian regime, and flirt like young men with everything to lose. One of them may well be the death of the other. Developed in the Alley All New Reading Series.
Houston Press review: “A most definite smash hit…Houston's best world premiere of the season… Stunning production”
Houston Chronicle review: "The play is above all a showcase for a couple of heroic performances by Matthew Amendt, as Kit, and Dylan Godwin*, as Will. They’re onstage for every moment of the production, thrusting and parrying, seducing and repelling, and even, on occasion, writing. This is daunting piece of work, intellectually and emotionally, and Amendt and Godwin ace it."
Car Takes with Deborah and Joel review: “Wow theatre. It’s amazing, It’s brilliant. It’s sexy. It’s very funny. It’s touching.”
Broadway World review: “Both actors were at the top of their game, never missing a beat, always in sync, and constantly playing with each other…Then there's the sexual tension.”
Screen Reflections review: “Playwright Liz Duffy Adams has delivered an intriguing what-if two-fer, which is having a well staged world premiere at the Alley Theatre’s Neuhaus Theatre. Under the direction of Rob Melrose the two actors are constantly trying to prove that they are the stronger of the duo.”
May 6 - June 5, 2022
Rent the digital version June 6 - June 19, 2022
June 18 - 19, 2022 and June 24 - 25, 2022
June 25, 2022
Before you attend the performance, the program provides cast bios, sponsor backgrounds, and further reading. Read.
Born With Teeth contains Language, Sexual Situations, and Violence in telling story about William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe that no one has ever heard before. To learn more about the content of this show, please click here for our content advisory page.
New Play Award Recipient
as Kit
as Will