The bewitched

'The Bewitched', first performed at London's Aldwych Theatre in 1974, tells the story of Spain's ill-fated King Carlos II. In the 17th century, Spain's political stability hinged on the continuation of the sovereign bloodline. Unfortunately Carlos, the son conceived by the elderly King Philip IV in the opening scene, has epilepsy, distorted limbs, impaired speech and mental confusion, the tragic result of centuries of royal inbreeding. The play traces the grim attempts of his court to engineer the conception of an heir.