Imperator

“Slaves were corrupted against their masters, freedmen against their patrons; and those who had no enemy were crushed by their friends.”

An emperor, a future emperor and the woman of their desires. Nero and Otho, once friends, contest for the affection of Poppaea Sabina; a woman, says Tacitus, “possessed of all advantages but a character.”

‘Imperator’ aims to bring figures of Roman history to life, through a mixture of historical research and dramatic devising. Who were the real people behind these names and titles? Can actions be reframed by intentions? Can the monster and the myth really be the same as the man?

Blood, betrayal and intrigue in the reign of the Emperor Nero and beyond. A conflict between love and ambition.