Porter Hall Theatre Presents “The Beaux Stratagem”
Cast: Aimwell……………….Kevin Archer………………...Kevin Lady Bountiful……….Sun Bin Dorinda………………Chantelle Sullen………………...Kevin Lady Sullen………….Myha'la Scrub…………………Kevin Gypsy………………...Myha'la Boniface……………...Kevin Cherry………………..Emily Bagshot………………Kevin Gibbet……………….Kevin Hounslow……………Kevin Foigard………………Kevin |
Is today my birthday?
I can't recall Let's have a party anyway Because I love a masked ball! All hail, the king! Of bling! Let's sing! Bells ring! Ding ding! I'm the king who brought back partying! (Lyrics to "King of Bling: Charles II" by Michael Johnson/Horrible Histories) George Farquhar’s The Beaux Stratagem (1707) was written at the end of the English Restoration era, famously known as a time of parties, sex, drinking and entertainment, thanks to King Charles II. Theatre was one of the most popular forms of merriment, centralized around elements of lewd comedy and farce. This play was Farquhar’s final piece, written on his deathbed. It includes many of the popular matters seen in daily life during this time period, but of course many of the comedic elements translate to modern day, proving that humor is timeless. **************************************************************** In 1703 Farquhar married Margaret Pemell who was ten years older than him with three children. Similar to our main character’s plot, Farquhar reported that he was schemed into this marriage with the promise of a great fortune that did not actually exist! Farquhar’s good friend Wilks came to Farquhar on his death bed in 1707 and begged him to write a play before he passed which became our play. Farquhar wrote this play in less than six weeks. He writes, before the play begins, that there may be some inconsistencies in this play that he could not edit due to his illness. The characters Aimwell and Archer are heavily influenced by Farquhar’s personal life. Some congruences include Farquhar’s downfall with his fortune leading to his quest to find a bride who would replenish his wealth, and his marriage being built on a false implication of a fortune. Farquhar mocks marriage and divorce laws as a way to express his feelings of regret and resentment that he felt in his own marriage. Major themes in this play to look for are the relationship between men and women with regards to the gender roles of the Restoration era; women as objects, the quest for wealth by any and all means, and deception in the name of greed. Also, keep a look out for any and all phallic jokes. Enjoy! |