So I read another play. I will try to read one sooner next time.
The play is Lady Frederick by M. Somerset Maughm. I got in a set of the plays by the same author on my Kindle Fire. The play is a three act comedy from the turn of the century. In fact, the first performance was 1907. It has a Shavian/Wilde kind of wit but lacks the heft and importance of those authors. This is very light stuff. Also, because it is from so early in the twentieth century it is quite sexist. And because it is British, it is tremendously classist.
The plot revolves around a worldly, Irish woman, Lady Frederick Berolles whose title come from a convenient marriage. She's been living beyond her means in Monte Carlo with a bunch of rich British socialites. One of them, Lord Charles Meterson, has fallen in love with her much to his mother's displeasure. In an attempt to keep her son from proposing marriage which she believes Lady Frederick to be engineering to get out of debt, Lady Meterson sends for her brother, Paradine Fouldes to dissuade Lord Charles from proposing. Fouldes is a Wildean character, urbane, sarcastic, and world-weary. He is a good choice for the job because he was once in love Lady Frederick.There are a number on conflicts involving debt, blackmail, and marriage. Every male character in the play except the servants propose to Lady Frederick, those being a captain and and admiral.
The admiral is the father of a character named Rose, and ingenue and love interest of Lady Frederick's younger brother Gerald, who is also on hand. Lady Frederick is trying to get Gerald married to Rose, a match not favored by the Admiral.
The play is rife with antisemitism. Lady Frederick's creditors are mostly Jewish. One is an unseen character named Cohen. The other is the captian who is portrayed as an unfeeling money lender and shameless social climber, not above using this financial hold over Gerald to secure a marriage with Lady Frederick that would give him a title and thus fulfill his father's dream of becoming part of the upper class.
The Class politics of the play are gruesome and well they might be given who wrote it and when. That doesn't keep a couple of funny little scenes from happening. One is when a cockney dressmaker has come to collect a debt from Lady Frederick, a silly little moment of which Shaw would have been quite proud. The other is when Lady Frederick uses makeup to turn away an ardent suitor.
As I read this play I enjoyed it. It seemed a kind of silly entertainment of the kind that would now be found on television. I don't need my plays to be heavy and arty but I think the prevalence of television has caused this kind of light entertainment to be found less on the stage. Most of the modern plays I read, even ones that are "funny' have some major social commentary lurking in them somewhere. This play was meant a very light entertainment.
As I thought about the play and it's very conservative social messages, by the time I was done I was it, I was saddened by it. It flirts with the progressive by having a "liberated" woman as it's central character, a character whose "liberated" qualities nearly bring about her ruin until she is saved by her rich British friend who would rather have an Irish social climber around than a Jewish one. Be careful of 'liberation's" false promises.
The play's charming start led to a sad and disheartening finish. Witty lines can only take you so far. It was kind of sad watching some characters one likes forsaking their most likable qualities so that the British class system can remain in tact.
The play is Lady Frederick by M. Somerset Maughm. I got in a set of the plays by the same author on my Kindle Fire. The play is a three act comedy from the turn of the century. In fact, the first performance was 1907. It has a Shavian/Wilde kind of wit but lacks the heft and importance of those authors. This is very light stuff. Also, because it is from so early in the twentieth century it is quite sexist. And because it is British, it is tremendously classist.
The plot revolves around a worldly, Irish woman, Lady Frederick Berolles whose title come from a convenient marriage. She's been living beyond her means in Monte Carlo with a bunch of rich British socialites. One of them, Lord Charles Meterson, has fallen in love with her much to his mother's displeasure. In an attempt to keep her son from proposing marriage which she believes Lady Frederick to be engineering to get out of debt, Lady Meterson sends for her brother, Paradine Fouldes to dissuade Lord Charles from proposing. Fouldes is a Wildean character, urbane, sarcastic, and world-weary. He is a good choice for the job because he was once in love Lady Frederick.There are a number on conflicts involving debt, blackmail, and marriage. Every male character in the play except the servants propose to Lady Frederick, those being a captain and and admiral.
The admiral is the father of a character named Rose, and ingenue and love interest of Lady Frederick's younger brother Gerald, who is also on hand. Lady Frederick is trying to get Gerald married to Rose, a match not favored by the Admiral.
The play is rife with antisemitism. Lady Frederick's creditors are mostly Jewish. One is an unseen character named Cohen. The other is the captian who is portrayed as an unfeeling money lender and shameless social climber, not above using this financial hold over Gerald to secure a marriage with Lady Frederick that would give him a title and thus fulfill his father's dream of becoming part of the upper class.
The Class politics of the play are gruesome and well they might be given who wrote it and when. That doesn't keep a couple of funny little scenes from happening. One is when a cockney dressmaker has come to collect a debt from Lady Frederick, a silly little moment of which Shaw would have been quite proud. The other is when Lady Frederick uses makeup to turn away an ardent suitor.
As I read this play I enjoyed it. It seemed a kind of silly entertainment of the kind that would now be found on television. I don't need my plays to be heavy and arty but I think the prevalence of television has caused this kind of light entertainment to be found less on the stage. Most of the modern plays I read, even ones that are "funny' have some major social commentary lurking in them somewhere. This play was meant a very light entertainment.
As I thought about the play and it's very conservative social messages, by the time I was done I was it, I was saddened by it. It flirts with the progressive by having a "liberated" woman as it's central character, a character whose "liberated" qualities nearly bring about her ruin until she is saved by her rich British friend who would rather have an Irish social climber around than a Jewish one. Be careful of 'liberation's" false promises.
The play's charming start led to a sad and disheartening finish. Witty lines can only take you so far. It was kind of sad watching some characters one likes forsaking their most likable qualities so that the British class system can remain in tact.
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