GET IN ToUCH!
GET IN ToUCH!
Belladonna
THE MUSICAL
Three generations of women; one recipe for the perfect murder.
Director, Writer/Songwriter, Producer
Belladonna is a two-act, dramatic musical set in 17th century Italy. It revolves around Giulia Tofana, a woman who operates a secret business providing poison to women seeking to escape abusive marriages. The story delves into the complex relationships between Giulia, her daughter Gigi, and her deceased mother, Thofania. The show also introduces Laura, an abused wife, and Sofia, a socialite, who becomes suspicious of Giulia's activities. The script explores themes of abuse, female empowerment, secrecy, and highlights the moral dilemmas faced by the characters while raising questions about the ethics of using poison as a means of escaping abuse.
REVIEWS
THE TV SERIES
LOGLINE
Based on a true story set in 17th century Italy, Giulia Tofana, her mother, and her daughter, peddle an undetectable poison to abused wives, which leads to the deaths of over 600 husbands.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Divorce doesn’t exist in 17th century Italy and Sicily, and women are treated as property and have no rights. Wives stuck in violent, abusive marriages sometimes turn to mariticide, often involving poisoning their husbands. The optimum choice of poison is a clear, scentless, tasteless, and otherwise undetectable concoction called Aqua Tofana, which is sold through a black market network. Adhering to a strict vetting process of the wives, including personal referrals, the client is instructed to put a drop of the poison into a liquid, like tea, alcohol, soup, etc. daily and serve it to her husband. Early doses induce weakness and exhaustion, while subsequent doses cause stomach aches, extreme thirst, vomiting, dysentery, and eventually death. The slow deterioration in health gives the victim the ability to put his affairs in order, usually ensuring that his soon-to-be-widow will be looked after. One of the most infamous poison dealers in all of history is Giulia Tofana. This is her story.