A king’s controversial gay romance is brought to life in this queer update of a classic play

Image Credit: ‘Edward II’ at The Royal Theatre Company, Helen Murray

Today marks the 451st birthday of Christopher Marlowe, the famed English playwright who is believed to have influenced some guy named *checks notes* William Shakespeare, and who’s long been rumored to have been homosexual.

Happy birthday, icon!

But in all seriousness, Marlowe is one of the most important figures of the Elizabethan era, and the nature of his sexuality is a frequent topic of debate among scholars, many of whom remind us that the more modern usage of terms like “gay” and “queer” don’t always apply to our historical figures.

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READ MORE OF THIS POST AT Queerty