Historic background
In the year 897, pope stephen vi and emperor Lambert of spoleto embarked on an absurd task; digging up the body of the deceased pope Formosus and putting him on trial.
In the early holy roman empire, the pope held the power to grant an emperor divine mandate. Formosus had betrayed lambert (david ley) by attempting to remove his divine mandate, and lambert, in anger, sought retribution against formosus even post-mortum. He was assisted by stephen vi (michael watt), a pope who he installed via bribery to the cardinals of the papal conclave, and a deacon, who filled the role of formosus’ defense attorney – jakub of munster (SAMUEL BRONSON), in our play.
tHE BIZARRE TRUE STORY INVOLVES EARTHQUAKES, ANGRY MOBS, AND RUMOURS THAT FORMOSUS MIGHT NOT BE SO DEAD AFTER ALL. hOW DOES IT ALL PLAY OUT ON STAGE? yOU’LL HAVE TO COME WATCH TO FIND OUT. cadaver synod asks a simple question; what kind of people does it take to dig up the seven month old corpse of the pope for revenge? aND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CANNOT LET GO OF THE PAST?