The story of 'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE
according to SHOCK TACTICS
ACT ONE
The play opens simultaneously in a nightclub and in a church. In the club we see two men having a sharp altercation. One, very well dressed, is SORANZO. He points out the troublemaker (a soldier named GRIMALDI) to a sinister-looking figure, who is in fact his bodyguard VASQUES. Meanwhile in the Church, a woman in black - this turns out to be HIPPOLITA - is at her devotions.
After she leaves we see a priest and a young man in a very earnest exchange of views. The young man is GIOVANNI. He has confessed to the FRIAR that he is in love with his sister, ANNABELLA.
The Friar tries to persuade him that his lust is deeply sinful, and prescribes a regime of fasts and penitence. Giovanni reluctantly accepts the Friar's advice.
Outside the club, revellers are on their way home, and Vasques is waiting to intercept Grimaldi. Grimaldi comes out and responds defiantly to Vasques' taunts, but when he finally attacks Vasques he is quickly overpowered.
At this moment FLORIO (the father of Giovanni and Annabella) comes out of his house, accompanied by DONADO, objecting to the disturbance. Soranzo comes forward to explain: both he and Grimaldi are suitors for Annabella's hand in marriage, but Soranzo alleges that Grimaldi has been slandering him to Florio, which is why he had set Vasques on him. Grimaldi goes off swearing revenge, and Florio makes it clear that Soranzo need not fear any rivals, since he already favours him.
All this is overheard by Annabella at her window, who has to endure a running commentary by PUTANA, the tutoress who has been her guardian since her mother died. We next see the idiotic BERGETTO accompanied by his friend and employee POGGIO, bragging that he is being lined up as suitor for Annabella himself. His uncle Donado - at that moment in the house with Florio - is trying to manoeuvre him into an advantageous marriage, since he is obviously behaving very irresponsibly (probably spending his way through his late father's legacy, with Poggio's help).
Annabella is impressed by none of these suitors, but gasps when she sees her brother appear, seeming not even to recognise him. Before she can join him outside, we learn from Giovanni that his fasting and prayers have done no good, and he is now determined to face his sister with the truth. He does so, and discovers that she feels the same. They swear to love - or kill each other.
The next day we see Florio and Donado on the terrace of a coffee bar. Florio warns Donado that his daughter's feelings will not be ignored - she must marry for love, not wealth. Donado responds by listing the financial benefits of a match with Bergetto: the couple will become his heirs. Before leaving, Florio agrees to allow Bergetto access to his daughter.
Bergetto himself then appears, flushed with success in the video arcade, and fooling around with Poggio in LaserQuest gear. Donado despairs that he will ever be capable of wooing Annabella, and makes up his mind to send a letter (enclosing a jewel) on Bergetto's behalf. Bergetto clearly resents his uncle's interference.
ACT TWO
We next see Giovanni and Annabella in bed. They have just done the unspeakable thing, yet the heavens have not fallen in upon their heads, and they are delirious with joy. The one thing to trouble Giovanni is the thought that his sister must be married; but she swears to marry none and remain faithful to him. He leaves her; Putana comes in. She obviously knows exactly what is going on, and seems to have no scruples about it whatsoever!
'Sweet, we must part...'
Florio comes in and introduces his daughter to a newcomer, a doctor, who has brought his niece to be a companion to Annabella.
Over at Soranzo's apartment, he is musing on his love for Annabella, when his reverie is interrupted by an unwelcome visitor.
It is Hippolita. Soranzo had an affaire with her earlier and promised to marry her after her husband died. Her husband, RICHARDETTO, had gone on a journey to Livorno to fetch his recently orphaned niece, and had apparently died on the way; but Soranzo then rejected Hippolita in favour of Annabella. Hippolita is furious, but cannot persuade him to change his mind; Soranzo, petulant and embarrassed, storms out. Vasques shrewdly observes that the frustrated and passionate Hippolita poses a real threat to his employer and determines to protect him. She is thirsting for revenge; he convinces her that he too is disaffected with Soranzo, and in return for a promise of marriage, agrees to help her in her plots.
Meanwhile in a hotel room, we see the doctor and his niece. Disguised with a false beard, he turns out to be none other than Richardetto, who has contrived his own disappearance in order to spy on his wife and engineer the downfall of her and Soranzo. PHILOTIS, his niece, has been planted at Florio's house purely to provide him with information on Annabella's suitors (specifically, Soranzo), though she is mostly ignorant of Richardetto's darker motives.
There is a knock at the door. Grimaldi shows up, wishing to consult this new doctor about love-potions to help him in his quest to win Annabella. Richardetto sees the opportunity of using Grimaldi against Soranzo, and is delighted when it turns out that Grimaldi is Soranzo's enemy and is perfectly prepared to kill him. He promises him the use of some poison to dip his dagger in.
Giovanni is back at the Friar's cell, gleefully telling the Priest that he has consummated his love, has not suffered divine vengeance as yet, and feels quite free of guilt. The Friar is horrified and determines to visit Annabella in order to persuade her to get married.
At Florio's house, Donado turns up with his letter and jewel for Annabella; Putana mischievously offers to use her influence on Bergetto's behalf and is duly rewarded. Annabella is obliged to read the letter and respond. She tries to return the jewel but Donado insists that she keep it, even when she musters all her courage to tell him that she cannot love Bergetto. At this point Bergetto appears in person (Donado thought he had got rid of him) with a story of how he has been assaulted in the street, and had his wound bandaged by the new doctor, whose niece apparently tended him with such care that he has fallen in love with her.
Florio intimates to Donado that Philotis is a respectable girl, so he need not worry, but Donado continues to treat Bergetto with contempt. Bergetto sees Donado as nothing but a spoilsport and quickly convinces himself that his uncle will do his best to prevent him going out with Philotis.
ACT THREE
Bergetto goes out into the street so furious with his uncle that, left on his own, he fantasises about killing him in various gruesome ways. Poggio catches up with him at last, and suggests that he marry Philotis straightaway, without Donado's knowledge.
Soranzo now appears at Florios's house and asks Annabella formally for her hand in marriage. She declines his present offer, but undertakes - out of respect for his nobility - that if she should ever be forced to marry anyone, it will be him or none. At that moment she feels dizzy and has to be taken up to her room. The doctor is called. But Putana has already seen the signs and tells Giovanni urgently that he has got his sister pregnant.
Their father is not long in the dark either; Richardetto may be a fake doctor, but he knows enough to diagnose Annabella's condition. Florio immediately determines to marry her off to Soranzo without delay.
A little later, in the hotel room, Grimaldi is collecting the poison, and Richardetto tells him that he must act tonight, and can catch Soranzo on his way to the Friar's cell where the betrothal ceremony will be taking place. After he has gone he learns from Philotis that Bergetto wishes to be married urgently, before his uncle finds out, and decides that the best way to do this is to go early in disguise to the Friar's cell.
The Friar at this time is ministering in his cell to the grief-stricken Annabella, who is eventually reconciled to the inevitability of marrying Soranzo. Florio and Soranzo appear, and the betrothal is concluded. But in the dark street outside, Grimaldi is lying in wait for Soranzo with his poisoned dagger. A couple appear in the gloom: Philotis, and Bergetto disguised, look much like Annabella and Soranzo.
Grimaldi leaps out, stabs Bergetto, and flees. Philotis screams, and her uncle and Poggio come running up; but it is too late. The police are called, but Bergetto dies in Richardetto's arms.
Briefly, we see Hippolita planning her move against Soranzo, supported, as she thinks, by Vasques. Back on the street, the ambulance men are taking away the body, the police are clearing away the crowd of onlookers, and Florio and Donado, having rushed hotfoot to the scene, are quizzing the police about the incident. They learn from one officer that the murderer has taken refuge in the house of the papal nuncio, and that he has been identified as Grimaldi. Richardetto immediately realises that he is responsible for all this, but must remain silent; he accompanies the other two and Poggio to the Cardinal's house.
The Cardinal is brought downstairs in his nightshirt and is none too pleased. He tells the complainants that Grimaldi is to be given the Pope's protection, and curtly dismisses them.
The third act ends with the indignant fury of Florio and Donado.
ACT FOUR
The Act begins with the wedding reception. Soranzo is making the best of it despite Annabella's evident lack of enthusiasm. When he offers Giovanni a glass of champagne, Giovanni very rudely pours it on the floor. At what could have been a very awkward moment, the door buzzer is heard, and a kissogram is delivered.
Three masked dancers perform a sexy routine, climaxing with Soranzo being groped all over the dinner table. Then the main dancer unmasks: it is of course Hippolita, and while pretending to congratulate the newlyweds she tries to poison Soranzo.
Vasques however ensures that she drinks her own poison, then reveals the truth before the whole party. Hippolita dies in agony, flinging curses upon Soranzo - 'mayst thou live to father bastards, may her womb bring forth monsters, and die together in your sins...'
We next see Richardetto comforting Philotis. He reflects that at least he has had the satisfaction of seeing his faithless wife's demise, and now decides to take no further action against Soranzo. He knows that the marriage is not going well; a higher power seems to be taking a hand in Soranzo's downfall. He sends Philotis away to a nunnery, so that she may be unhurt by the catastrophes that he sees looming.
In the middle of the night, Soranzo is having a blazing row with Annabella. He has just discovered her condition; besides finding out his wife is not the spotless virgin he assumed she was, he is outraged that he has been set up as a cloak to her promiscuity, and is frantic to find out who is responsible. He threatens her with a gun, but she refuses to be intimidated and only taunts him that he is not a shadow of the man she truly loves, but whose identity she keeps to herself.
Soranzo is on the point of actually killing her when Vasques comes in and prevents it. In an extraordinary display of knife-edge diplomacy he succeeds in defusing the situation: he persuades Soranzo to act contrite, and convinces Annabella that it is genuine. She is locked away in her chamber out of the view of the public, and Vasques undertakes to discover who has made her pregnant.
Putana then stumbles into the room; Vasques guesses that she knows the man's identity, and by a combination of threats and promises, gets it out of her.
As soon as she has mentioned Giovanni's name, Vasques' hired thugs are summoned to truss and gag her, and he instructs them to take her away and put her eyes out.
ACT FIVE
We next see Annabella, locked in her bedroom and staring through the window at the street below. She blames herself for her misery, repents of her wantonness, and wishes there were someone she could trust to deliver a message to Giovanni. The Friar passes by, overhears, and is glad to pass on her letter, which tells Giovanni of her situation, that their secret is out, and that his life is in danger from Soranzo.
Meanwhile Soranzo is almost paralysed by the revelation of his brother-in-law's guilt, and Vasques is trying to stir him into action. Soranzo decides to invite everyone to his birthday celebration, especially of course Giovanni, and instructs Vasques to ensure he comes.
Giovanni is discovered by the Friar at the coffee bar. He is in a good mood and congratulates himself that Annabella's love for him has remained steadfast despite her being married. He receives the letter, which immediately throws him into panic.It is written in blood; he recognises the handwriting immediately, but the contents of the letter are so appalling that he convinces himself that it is the priest's forgery. Vasques then turns up and invites Giovanni to the birthday party; Giovanni gladly accepts. The priest begs him to change his mind, since death can be the only outcome if he goes, but Giovanni defies him. The Friar despairs of Giovanni and bids him a final, tearful farewell.
On the day of the birthday party, Vasques briefs his hired men and Soranzo pays them. The guests shortly begin to arrive, Giovanni the first. Soranzo gives him leave to visit Annabella in her bedroom, the idea being that he is to be discovered later in flagrante delicto so that he may be killed and go straight to hell.
When Giovanni enters the bedroom he takes Annabella in his arms and leads her to the bed; for a second all seems as carefree as ever, but then she sits up, shy of his embrace.Giovanni flies into a rage and accuses her of treachery, while she tries to reason with him and explain how dangerous their present situation is. He has no interest in that now, since he has already made up his mind to kill her.
Instead he asks her intently whether she believes in an after-life, and whether they may look forward to resuming their love in the next world. He forces her onto the bed, tells her to pray, and kills her while she is praying. He then cuts out her heart.
Downstairs the guests - Florio, Donado, Richardetto, the Cardinal - have gathered at the table; only Giovanni and his sister are still missing. He then enters, with her heart on his dagger.
Spearing the knife into the table, he boasts of his bloody deed, but no-one can take in the truth of what he claims until Vasques goes upstairs to check.
When the body is brought down and laid on the floor, Florio has a heart attack and dies.
Giovanni is transformed into a raging hellhound; he grabs the knife, makes straight for Soranzo, and thrusting Annabella's heart in front of his eyes, he stabs him fatally before Vasques can lift a finger to prevent it. Vasques goes to attack Giovanni, but Giovanni takes a gun from the dying Soranzo and shoots wildly at Vasques, who hits the floor, wounded, and calls in the gunmen.
In the ensuing shootout one gunman is hit, another finds his gun jammed, and it is ultimately Vasques himself who crawls over to the dying assassin, takes his gun, and shoots Giovanni in the back. The others have reloaded by this time and open fire on the wounded Giovanni, filling him with bullets. He collapses in a bloody heap in the centre.
Vasques goes over to Soranzo, only to have him die in his arms.
Giovanni coughs and stirs; the Cardinal rushes up to administer the last rites, but Giovanni only lives long enough to ask whether Soranzo is dead, and dies with Annabella's name on his lips.
The Cardinal dispenses justice to the survivors: Putana is to be burnt alive...
...and Vasques, a Spaniard, is to be banished. The gold and jewels he seizes on behalf of the Pope. Richardetto finally reveals his true identity. So ends the play.
THE CHARACTERS
THE THEMES
FORD'S WORLD
THE COMPANY