THE Dutch Courtesan, a 17th century Jacobean comedy seldom seen on the modern stage, is undergoing a thoroughly modern re-working with the help of students from the University of York, as part of the York Festival of Ideas’ Performance strand.

John Marston’s masterpiece is re-imagined in a chaotic world 20 years from now where tricksters prowl and street executions are an ever-present threat.

As Marston weaves together tales of sexual obsession, clever-con tricks and radical freethinking, passionate men can soon find themselves at the foot of the gallows.

Professor Michael Cordner, Head of Theatre at the University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television (TFTV) is hard at work rehearsing a 20-strong cast of students for a three-day run that opens tomorrow night.

The play tells the story of two friends, the relaxed, pleasure-loving Freevill (Nick Armfield) and the naturally phlegmatic Malheureux (Stevie Jeram), and the turbulent relationship both have with the passionate Dutch courtesan Franceschina (Anna Thirkettle).

A new website, set up by Department of Theatre, Film and Television Postdoctoral Fellow Ollie Jones, is tracking progress in rehearsals. It also features original articles on The Dutch Courtesan by researchers, plus a film of the Olivier Award-winning actor Oliver Ford Davies talking about the difficulties of performing Jacobean verse.

Filmed interviews with the cast, set designer and composer have been conducted, as well as blogs, films of the rehearsals and features by student journalists including a focus on objects which are significant in the production.

A team of Department of Theatre, Film and Television production staff and students will film a performance of the play, which will be available on the website alongside a film of Professor Cordner’s earlier TFTV production of Thomas Middleton’s comedy, A Mad World, My Masters.

“Effectively, we’ve already published the equivalent of a book of essays on the play online,” says Professor Cordner. “The website aims to open a conversation between scholars about the play and wider aspects of Jacobean theatre, which we hope will continue beyond the actual production.

“We’re using the combined practical and academic talents of Department of Theatre, Film and Television staff and students to produce an educational and research resource, which we hope will provoke discussion and debate.”

Professor Cordner reveals there are three distinct plots within The Dutch Courtesan with resulting shocks and twists and turns. “It’s a play that makes it very difficult for the audience to know where they will be led next,” he says. “The challenge for the cast is to make sure the audience are convinced by the logic of the surprises happening in front of them.

“The cast are having fun with it and we’ve been encouraging them to contribute blogs to the website as their characters have developed through the rehearsal process.”

The set and costumes are designed by Jan Bee Brown, who is also designing the summer season of Alan Ayckbourn plays at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough.

The production features an original score composed by former York student Odinn Hilmarsson, who has written five new songs and an underlying score, and the production crew is made up entirely of students, guided by Department of Theatre, Film and Television technical staff.

The Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington will be setting the stage for the performance on June 21 when he joins Professor Cordner at TFTV for a discussion about Jacobean plays on the contemporary stage at 5.45pm.

The general public will have a chance to explore the skills needed to play a Jacobean comedy trickster on stage at Department of Theatre, Film and Television workshops led by theatre director Tom Wright tomorrow and Saturday.

The Dutch Courtesan runs from tomorrow until Saturday at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television on the University of York’s Heslington East campus.

Tickets cost £7, concessions £5. For bookings and information for performances, workshops and the talk, see dutchcourtesan.co.uk/booking