Paolo and Francesca

In this powerful retelling of the story of the famous lovers in Dante's Inferno, the intimidating warrior Malatesta sends his younger brother Paolo to Ravenna to escort Malatesta's new young wife Francesca to Rimini. She stabs Malatesta with a letter opener on their wedding night and refuses to have relations with him, but soon after becomes Paolo's mistress. When she becomes pregnant, she's forced to finally sleep with her husband so as not to reveal their secret. This triangular relationship continues for years until Antonia, Paolo's daughter by his wife Bianca, discovers what's going on, tells Malatesta and precipitates the play's violent conclusion. Dark humor, passion and terror combine to make this one of Nigro's very best plays.