28 Jan-30 April 2005.

Friedrich Schiller's Spanish drama, written in 1789, is known to most in Verdis operatic version which was written later in the mid 19th century. This production stars Sir Derek Jacobi as King Philip II of Spain and Richard Coyle as Don Carlos who is in love with his father's wife. The play has a very Shakespearean feel in both scope and tragic nature and this version has been lauded by the critics not only for the excellent acting but also the lighting which resembles a Velasquez painting in its play of dark and light. The play is a tale of family entanglement, power, religion and social mores with political machinations that have lost nothing with the passing of time. Alongside Sir Derek Jacobi, Coyle, Cowan and Price are Ian Hogg as the Duke of Alba, Michael Hadley as Cardinal Domingo, Peter Eyre as the Cardinal Grand Inquisitor, Charlotte Randle as duplicitous Princess Eboli and Una Stubbs as the Duchess of Olivarez.