The Siege of Urbin
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| The Siege of Urbin | |
|---|---|
| Written by | William Killigrew (1606–1695) |
| Date premiered | 1665 [1] |
| Original language | English |
| Setting | Pisa, Urbino |
The Siege of Urbin is a 1664-1666 tragicomedy by 17th century playwright Sir William Killigrew. The play is largely set in Urbino, anglicized as "Urbin". According to Theatre Historian Allardyce Nicoll, the play exists in three versions: "an early version, a revised version, and the final printed text of 1666".[2] In a 1665 performance of the play, Anne Marshall starred as Celestina and a 15 year old Nell Gwyn performed the role of Melina. Tensions developed between the two actresses when male audience members preferred the latter's legs to those of the former, leading to one of the actresses stabbing the other onstage, "but not fatally".[3]
The titular siege only occurs towards the end of the play.