The Beaux’ Stratagem

The Beaux’ Stratagem
By George Farquhar. The Stirling Players (SA). Stirling Community Theatre. February 20-March 7, 2015.

Exuberant, witty and jam-packed with delightful characters, George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem is The Stirling Players’ first production in the company’s Year of Comedy and sets a very high bar for Adelaide’s community theatre scene in 2015.

This three-hundred-year-old Restoration comedy is a hoot. What’s more, the foibles and human failings of the play’s characters are hilariously familiar, reminding modern audiences all these years later that people have not really changed.

It is 1707 England and when young gentlemen Jack Archer and Tom Aimwell fall on hard times they decide on a strategy to address their financial problems; they will travel through various towns, seducing women and conning them out of their fortunes. The sneaky plan lasts only as far as Lichfield, where not only the women but the entire townsfolk are decidedly more than the young men can handle. Many of the residents have unexpected sides to their nature, including a local clergyman who moonlights as a highwayman. There’s comic mayhem aplenty but can love still find its way through the twists and turns of the plot?

Adam Tuominen plays Jack Archer’s real and fake personas with smooth aplomb, at times needing only a lifted eyebrow or a sidelong glance at the audience to secure a laugh. James Edwards is equally good as Tom Aimwell, particularly when his character’s deceptive tactics disintegrate into hopeless, besotted love for local girl, Dorinda.

Alan Crawford is an absolute standout as cleric turned highwayman Gloss. The wonderful laugh-out-loud humour of his performance is made even more delicious by little nuances of light and shade.

Another audience favourite is Joshua Coldwell as Sullen, the drunken husband of Jack’s eventual love interest, Kate. On opening night his marriage monologue brought the house down and achieved a spontaneous round of applause.

Anna Bampton is very good, though a little too shrill at times, as strong and willful Mrs. Kate Sullen, while Kate van der Horst creates a fine contrast to that willfulness in her role as Mrs. Sullen’s gentle sister-in-law Dorinda.

Lindy Le Cornu is a scream as Lady Bountiful, who always seems a step or two behind everyone else in understanding the frenetic goings-on around her, obsessed as she is with a scarily intense faith in her own medical and surgical capacity to cure the ills of locals.

Some actors play more than one role. Peter Smith is terrific as Boniface the Innkeeper and does a nice little cameo as a French chaplain too, sometimes appearing to descend into a slightly Italian accent, which (perhaps inadvertently) made the chaplain even funnier. Adelaide will greatly miss this fine actor when he leaves our shores next year to live in Europe.

Matt Houston plays several roles exceptionally well, including Sir Charles Freeman. Debbie Tester also develops more than one character, with a highlight being her hilariously physical portrayal of a (nearly) ravished countrywoman.

Rosie Williams is delightful as Boniface’s daughter Cherry and Brian Godfrey is extremely funny in his role as Scrub.

For all actors, comic timing is very good throughout, as shown exquisitely in the sword-fighting scene.

Interaction with the audience is key to development of plot and character in The Beaux’ Stratagem. Most of the main characters present occasional monologues, speaking directly to audience members. Director Dave Simms also successfully extends the audience connection by breaking the fourth wall with exits and entrances.

The action rollicks along, enhanced by the superb costuming and simple but effectively adaptable set. Lighting deliberately denotes a period when electricity is far into the future, but the authenticity necessarily means moments when flat spots and shadows on faces occur, particularly in the Inn scenes.

Once again, The Stirling Players have drawn together a fine director and cast, melded with the expertise evident in all other areas of this production. With the Thornton Wilder and Ken Ludwig adaptation of The Beaux’ Stratagem the Adelaide Hills company has created a very fine and very funny theatrical event indeed

Lesley Reed

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.