Princess Priscilla has died by suicide, and the King tearfully delivers her eulogy. After the funeral, Priscilla’s ghost appears to the brave and hot-headed Sir Ambrose. Priscilla reveals to Ambrose that the King repeatedly raped her through childhood. She wants Ambrose to “set things right,” but with two requirements: no violence, and no dungeons. Ambrose, enraged by the King’s crimes, has a hard time stifling his own will to use his sword. He succeeds at getting the King to admit to and express regret for his previous behavior, but soon after, the King kills himself as well. Now haunted by two ghosts, Ambrose is left to come to terms with his own toxicity and heal the community. Give Up the Ghost is a revenge tragedy without revenge (a tragic revengedy?), examining how we can move society towards a more enlightened vision of justice.

CW: Suicide, abuse, rape, murder, onstage violence, misogynistic language.