We Are Villains Both

Taken from Christopher Marlowe's classical tragedy The Jew of Malta, this intense duologue captures the chilling moment Barabas recruits Ithamore as his personal accomplice. Rather than bonding over virtue, the two men forge an immediate alliance over their shared history of cruelty, malice, and mutual hatred for Christians. It is a darkly theatrical encounter that establishes a venomous partnership rooted in revenge and opportunism.

Barabas, typically cast in his forties to sixties, is an outcast driven by profound resentment and an appetite for retribution. He approaches his villainy with the intellect and calculated flair of a seasoned tactician who enjoys instructing a protégé. The younger Ithamore, in his twenties or thirties, is rough, opportunistic, and delighted to find a patron who shares his chaotic, violent impulses. Together, they form an electric master-servant dynamic anchored in wicked admiration.

This selection provides two actors with a rare opportunity to tackle Marlowe's verse with dark humor and uninhibited energy. Audition panels often see earnest, noble classical scenes, making this brazen celebration of malice memorable and refreshing. It demands strong vocal stamina, precise comedic timing, and an ability to make grand rhetorical flourishes feel grounded and dangerous.

This scene is exceptionally well suited for drama school auditions, classical acting competitions, and advanced scene study practice. It offers gritty character actors, natural outsiders, and performers drawn to villainous casting types a chance to dig into substantial classical material. Because of the distinct age difference between the roles, it works brilliantly for paired performers spanning their twenties through their sixties.

Avoid playing the scene purely with solemn anger; these characters genuinely relish their cruelty, so let their wicked delight breathe life into the text. Treat the exchange like a competitive game of one-upmanship, where each speaker tries to impress and entertain the other with tales of mischief. Drive the rhythm forward through the meter to maintain momentum, and ensure your physical presence reflects the gritty danger of the world they inhabit.