Almost daily or so it seems, yet another brilliant female playwright re-emerges from the world of Restoration comedy. Claims of greatness for Mary Pix would be an exaggeration, but add to her play of 1700 the radical direction of Jo Davies, and moments of comic genius and eternal truths emerge in a highly enjoyable reclamation.
Pix, who enjoyed Alan Ayckbourn type popularity in her day called the play The Beau Defeated or The Lucky Younger Brother and Davies has renamed it The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich. Whatever the name, it brings a decidedly female viewpoint of William of Orange’s London.
In 1700 London money is one thing, social status another. Mrs Rich, widow of a merchant banker has a massive fortune and a gilt coach with dappled white horses. What she can’t buy is the approval of the self-selected upper circle of the upper class. And that is all she craves, although an aristocratic title wouldn’t go amiss.
A plot too complicated to describe unwinds naturally enough, albeit a little ponderously. But the production has weapons sufficient to fight the absence of exceptional writing. Especially Sophie Stanton in the title role. She is presented in voluminous gowns, almost with elements of the pantomime dame, a figure as large as her ambition. Yet tellingly, and winningly, she plays against that, with a naturalness based on candour and self-mocking.
The music of Grant Olding assists greatly, with Stanton releasing her inner would-be aristocrat in specially written songs, and with four saxophones providing ingeniously for every scene, from polite Bach to raunchy dance .
A fuller flavour of the plot emerges with mention of other characters. Tam Williams gives enjoyment to everyone including himself, as the foppish Sir John Roverhead, courting every monied women in sight. The two avowedly moral characters, the disinherited younger brother and a titled widow finally come together, after much misinformation. With Solomon Israel comically caught between morality and desire, and Daisy Badger fetchingly determined to assure herself of that rare thing, a good man.
Leo Wringer brings a sense of cool to the hunting mad, country bumpkin older brother. Michael Simkins attempts to control his sister-in-law Mrs Rich with barely contained fury, and Jessica Turner as the brothers’ aunt brings smooth Jeeves like skills to the final denouement.
That comes after the action takes a brighter pace, including an all-female sword fight, chickens coming home to roost and Mrs Rich getting what she wanted. Well, sort of what she wanted. Yet she grasps it eagerly. Money she sings with the whole cast in celebratory dance, is great when it brings women power, because power means freedom. ★★★★☆ Derek Briggs 23rd April 2018
Production photos by Helen Maybanks
