The Libertine is a play set in the Restoration Period about John Wilmot Earl of Rochester and centres around his demise. As the play begins we see Lord Rochester returning from his exile to the country, enjoying his life of sex, alcohol and the theatre, but throughout the play, we view his demise, as the play ends with him dying of Syphilis. John Wilcot uses a front throughout the play, acting the part of a respected gentleman, even though he is corrupting his body. Katie decided to set the play within "Rochester's Theatre", where the scene changes are presented quite clearly to the audience using the hemp house in full view, and it is through seeing the theatre break that we see how broken Rochester actually is.