NEW YORK—Claire Van Kampen examines the healing power of song in her very absorbing work “Farinelli and the King.” Based on actual events and originally presented in London in 2015, the play is now making its North American debut at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.
In Madrid, in 1737, King Philippe V of Spain (Mark Rylance) is suffering from a mental illness, causing his mind to wander and making him prone to emotional outbursts as well as bouts of depression. As Philippe’s inability to govern becomes more apparent, the officials in his court led by Chief Minister Don Sebastian De La Cuadra (Edward Peel) begin taking steps to remove him from the throne.
