'Tis Pity She's a Whore

     What a picky director. The first quote I would recommend for the poster would be "Che morte piu dolce che morire per amore?" (Annabella, Act IV Scene 3). This line, translated into English, reads, "Can there be any sweeter death than to die for love?" First off, it's in a different language than English, so people will definitely be intrigued- Is this play in English? What does that mean? I must go see this show! I chose this quote because it takes place during a pivotal moment in the play. Soranzo is forcing Annabella to tell Soranzo her lover's name, and is threatening to kill her. Annabella's fierce bravery to sing in another language in response to Soranzo's "I'll hew thy flesh to shreads! Who is't?" is pretty badass. The line is also some nice foreshadowing to when Annabella dies by her lover Giovanni's hand, apparently dying because Giovanni loved her that much. (Let's be honest, Giovanni. You wanted that kill for yourself so Soranzo couldn't do it. That's sick man. Worse than that time you impregnated your sister. Creep.)
     The second quote I would put on my poster would be "Revenge is all the ambition I aspire: To that I'll climb or fall; my blood's on fire." (Soranzo, Act V Scene 2). What a line. This line, paired with the show title, would having me buying tickets immediately. It really sets up what the show is about. Ok, a poster viewer would say, so there's a play about a whore and revenge? I'm interested! Again, another line filled with foreshadowing, or rather, irony, considering Giovanni gets revenge on Soranzo by killing his sister. The desperation also adds another layer that gives a good glimpse of what the play's about. "To that I'll climb or fall." He's going to stop at nothing to get revenge. The stakes are high. You also get that nice recurring image of blood. Pretty great quote. 
     Finally, a quote that lays it all out on the line. The Cardinal's last line that closes the play in Act V, Scene 6, "But never yet incest and murder have so strangely met." Hey, what's 'Tis Pity She's a Whore about? Incest and murder? Got it. Why avoid the subject matter? First, it would help parents maybe keep their kids at home. It would prepare audiences for something they might not normally see. It could even be seen as humorous, like bringing up the elephant in the room. And what the Cardinal says is true. He's summarizing the events that have just taken place, and overall, 'tis pretty strange. Impregnating your sister only to turn around and stab her heart, planning an elaborate hoax disguised as a masque... I like this quote because it's straightforward and gets any awkwardness out of the way pretty quickly. 
     As for images and colors, we obviously want to avoid hearts, daggers, and the color red. Unfortunately, those are precisely the images and colors my brain immediately turns to. So what then? I like a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving-esque large dining room table. All of our main players are sitting around the table, but in simple masks covering the tops of their faces, and covering the table are a plethora of raw meats. Maybe we can still see animal heads. The grossness of the raw meat is the feeling I would want to create on stage, with the whole "I had sex with my sister" thing.
     I also like the scene of a graveyard, with everyone who dies names' on tombstones. Death is such a resonating theme in Whore, and I think it sets the tone for the show. On the central headstone, I'd want a glass of wine (or blood??) and in front of the headstone, on the ground, I'd want people to look like they're having sex. How offensive right? Fornication on top of the dead! Ha! Another sick image, but an image I feel represents the work well. A little alcohol, a little sex, a little death- all this and more in 'Tis Pity. For colors, I'd want to keep things simple. Gray scale, black and white.