Florence is Burning

Florence is Burning
A new play by Daniel Wade and Directed by Dylan McGloin

A rehearsed reading.

In a city blinded by its own radiance — and on the brink of ruin — one man’s vision set Florence aflame.

Florence is Burning, a rehearsed reading, asks how one man can gain power, why do we follow, and what is at stake when we do?

Florence is Burning is a poetic political tragedy depicting the rise and fall of Girolamo Savonarola. Savonarola was a preacher and prophet who was the most influential political figure of late fifteenth century Florence, despite never holding office.

Denouncing the corruption of Church and State while promising moral rebirth, his sermons soon turned apocalyptic and his reforms demanded followers burn their luxuries. The city that once hailed him as its saviour began to fear him as its tyrant. With an iron will and a tongue of fire, Savonarola's visionary and extreme teachings earned him a loyal following and eventually led to his execution.His reign ended in fire at the very spot where he once presided over his infamous Bonfire of the Vanities.

Written by award-winning poet, playwright, and novelist Daniel Wade, Florence is Burning reimagines this moment of moral and political crisis as both historical epic and contemporary parable — a darkly lyrical study of faith, fanaticism, and the peril of a society undone by its own certainties.

Directed by Dylan McGloin, whose visionary practice blends poetry, design, and performance, this rehearsed reading invites audiences into the heart of a city gripped by beauty, terror, and belief.

Image Source: ‘Girolamo Savonarola Preaching Against Prodigality’ by Ludwig von Langenmantel, 1879. St Bonaventure University. Public Domain.