Romantic tomfoolery and mistaken identities abound in She Stoops to Conquer, Oliver Goldsmith’s classic comedy of manners, coming to the Arts Club’s Stanley Alliance Stage later this month. When shy-with-the ladies Charles Marlow (Luc Roderique) sets off to the country to meet Kate Hardcastle (his blind date, played by Jennifer Mawhinney), a practical joke convinces him that Hardcastle manor is a luxury inn. Treating one’s prospective in-laws (Norman Browning and Leslie Jones) as hired help is hardly advisable, but when it appears that Charles is quite a charmer with women of a lesser station, mayhem ensues and love blossoms.
Veteran theatre artist Dean Paul Gibson will direct this production. Gibson says, “I seem to have an enduring relationship with old plays, particularly the comedies. Perhaps because of my affinity for all things stylish, funny, and entertaining, I felt obliged to accept the offer of shepherding this classic comedy back to the stage. With its silly situations and charismatic characters we can again enjoy the folly of others and delight in the popular theatrical style of another time.” Gibson has also directed past Arts Club productions including The School for Scandal, The 39 Steps, and Xanadu.
Born in 1731, Oliver Goldsmith was a highly regarded Irish writer, essayist, and playwright. In addition to She Stoops to Conquer, he is the author of The Citizen of the World (1762), a collection of whimsical and satirical essays; the novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766); and the comedic play The Good-Natur’d Man (1768).
She Stoops to Conquer will star Norman Browning, Chris Cochrane, Andrew Cownden, Josh Drebit, Jay Hindle, Leslie Jones, Paul Kloegman, Sebastian Kroon, Jennifer Mawhinney, Melissa Oei, Christine Quintana, Luc Roderique, John Voth, and Christina Wells Campbell.
She Stoops to Conquer
Dates: October 18 to November 18; Tuesday, 7:30 pm, Wednesday to Saturday, 8 pm, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 2 pm
Venue: Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, 2750 Granville Street at 12th Avenue
Tickets: $29 to $65, inclusive of taxes and fees, available either online or by phoning 604.687.1644