The lost play that reveals the evolution of a theatrical master

Entertainment · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Sixty-five years after it was written, a hidden masterpiece by Peter Shaffer has finally surfaced. Unearthed from the archives of Trinity College, this unpublished work offers a rare glimpse into the creative transition of a playwright who would eventually redefine the stage with his concept of 'Total Theatre'.

For decades, a complete, unpublished play titled Our Lady of the Volcano remained unknown, catalogued but unseen. Discovered by PhD student James Critchley while researching Shaffer’s first play, Five Finger Exercise, the work marks a pivotal moment in the playwright's development. It represents a departure from the domestic tension and 'slammed doors' of his early works, moving toward a more cinematic and expansive style. The discovery was made while the researcher was examining Shaffer’s debut work. This newly found script highlights how the author sought to move beyond traditional domestic settings.

Set on the Amalfi Coast, the play explores competing romance narratives and reflects the influence of 1960s Hollywood films set in Italy, such as Roman Holiday and Boy on a Dolphin. This period of Shaffer's life was marked by an immersion in cinematic worlds, which he would later translate into his signature 'Total Theatre'—a performance mode where music, mime, and movement are as vital as the scripted text. This cinematic inspiration drew from popular Italian-set films like Three Coins in the Fountain. Such influences helped shape his unique vision for the stage.

Shaffer's career was defined by this ability to bridge different media and genres, moving from the taut domesticity of Five Finger Exercise (1958) to the sweeping historical and psychological depths of The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964) and Equus (1973). The discovery of Our Lady of the Volcano allows scholars to see the raw, formative ideas that Shaffer would eventually flesh out in his most acclaimed, award-winning mature works. His professional journey began after he arrived at Cambridge in 1947 to study history. This academic foundation preceded his major breakthroughs in the late 1950s.

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