Review: SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, Orange Tree Theatre
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
She Stoops to Conquer was first performed in 1773 but for this new production at the Orange Tree Theatre, we are transported to the 1930s. Written by Oliver Goldsmith, it is one of the few plays from the 18th Century that has retained its appeal. To celebrate its 250th anniversary, the play is being staged once again which will surely bolster the reputation of this hilarious class-based comedy.
This tale of chaos and courtship takes place in the space of an evening, Christmas Eve to be precise. We meet Mr and Mrs Hardcastle, wealthy landowners of Hardcastle Hall, who desire to marry their daughter Kate to the well-educated Charles Marlow. Together with his friend, George Hastings, Marlow travels to the house to court Kate but this is where the problems begin. Around lower-class women, Marlow is confident and charming but in the company of the higher classes, he is shy and reserved. This is not helped by the interference of Kate’s stepbrother, Tony Lumpkin, who tricks the two visitors into believing the house is, in fact, a local inn. Kate resolves to discover Marlow’s true character and, as the title suggests, in this classic tale of deception, she will stoop to ensure that love conquers all.
Tom Littler, with Francesca Ellis, directs an all-star cast supported by a community ensemble who bring joyful energy to this renowned comedy of misunderstanding and mishaps. Freddie Fox and Tanya Reynolds star as Charles Marlow and Kate Hardcastle and they bring just the right level of silliness to this seasonal classic. Fox is charming and endearing in both forms of his character, an excellent companion to Reynold’s nuanced and perfectly controlled comedic performance. She truly has an expressive face which she uses to her advantage in a particularly farcical scene of seduction. Sabrina Bartlett and Robert Mountford expertly lead the sub-plot, a secret romance between Constance Neville, the Hardcastle’s’ niece and Hastings. David Horovitch is marvellous as the old fashioned but good-humoured Mr Hardcastle. Greta Scacchi feels slightly miscast as the perhaps not manipulative enough Mrs Hardcastle. However, she nails the eccentricity with her slightly questionable country accent and overdrawn turquoise eye-shadow. The whole cast are exceptional but a final special mention must be given to Richard Derrington whose hilarious performance as the doddery butler Diggory is brilliantly reminiscent of Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques.
The relocation to a 1930s country house works seamlessly and the beautifully detailed set and period costumes, designed by Anett Black and Neil Irish, make us feel like we are spending Christmas at Hardcastle Hall. Tom Attwood’s jazz-based sound design brings further life to this classic with a sprinkling of songs performed cheekily by Guy Hughes as the mischievous Tony Lumpkin. There are various times in the script when the fourth wall is broken and in these moments, the intimate in-the-round setting of the Orange Tree Theatre works especially well. There have also been a few edits to bring the play into the 20th Century, for example, motor car replaces horse-drawn-carriage but none of these updates feel out of place and the story feels relevant for any century. There are a few slower moments but despite the almost three-hour run time, the time flies by as we are drawn into this story of devilish deception.
This star-studded production is fabulously funny and whole-heartedly proves why She Stoops to Conquer will continue to feature in the canon of British theatre.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Sophie Luck
She Stoops To Conquer plays at the Orange Tree Theatre until 13 January 2024, with further information here.