By Oliver Goldsmith
'To come to my house, to call for what he likes, to turn me out of my own chair, to insult the family, to order his servants to get drunk, and then to tell me, “This house is mine, sir”. By all that’s impudent it makes me laugh.'
One of the great, generous-hearted and ingenious comedies of the English language, the National Theatres' production of She Stoops to Conquer offers a celebration of chaos, courtship and the dysfunctional family.
'Hardcastle, a man of substance, looks forward to acquainting his daughter with his old pal’s son with a view to marriage. But thanks to playboy Lumpkin, he’s mistaken by his prospective son-in-law Marlow for an innkeeper, his daughter for the local barmaid. The good news is, while Marlow can barely speak to a woman of quality he’s a charmer with those of a different stamp. And so, as Hardcastle’s indignation intensifies, Miss Hardcastle’s appreciation for her misguided suitor soars. Misdemeanours multiply, love blossoms, mayhem ensues.'
'This little barmaid though runs in my head most strangely, and drives out the absurdities of all therest of the family. She’s mine, she must be mine, or I’m greatly mistaken.'
This classic period comedy marries bourgeois etiquette with modern family dysfunction as wealthy countryman Hardcastle arranges for his daughter Kate to marry the son of a well-to-do Londoner. But thanks to playboy Lumpkin, what follows is a tale of mistaken identity gone awry. Kate's appreciation for her misguided suitor soars while offenses multiply, mayhem ensues, and love eventually blossoms.
QUOTES
"Fresh, spirited, blissfully funny" - The Daily Telegraph
"Twinkly, high-spirited production with lip-smacking relish" - Financial Times
"The National has become a laughter hit factory with One Man Two Guvnors and continues its winning streak with She Stoops to Conquer" - Sunday Express
"A rollicking fantastically funny production" - Sunday Express
"Gloriously funny...the National has another hit on its hands" - Mail on Sunday
"A sparkling revival. Riotously comic performances..."- Sunday Times
4 Stars "Terrifically funny" - Time Out
$15 General / $13 Senior / $11 Student with $2 for Lincoln Members