Herod’s Last Night

This dark two-act comedy deals with the last hours of Herod the Great. Rome has kept him in power for 30 years. Behind him, a string of murders: his rivals, his colleagues, his family: even sons and a beloved wife. And there was that incident at Bethlehem whose memory won’t go away. His legacy is hatred, madness and hopelessness. Can anyone truly care about him? Can he end his days with any ray of hope? Tottering through his last hours, the larger-than-life figure of one of history’s great tyrants is at the centre of this black comedy that explores morality, significance and, of all things, love and mercy. Having destroyed almost all his relationships, Herod now fights his inner demons and outward foes to the very end and finds a surprising victory.