She Stoops to Conquer

Synopsis

Mistaken identity, lust and class are at the heart of this classic comedy set in the rustic England of the 1760s. Sub-titled The Mistakes of a Night. A rich handsome single man, Marlow, is very good at chatting up barmaids, but bashful in front of society ladies. The he falls for Miss Kate Hardcastle and things start to go wrong when his friend persuade him that her family home is in fact the local inn! Sponsored by Travelex £12 Tickets

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 1 February 2012

Oliver Goldsmith’s famous 18th century prose comedy is more honoured on the page than on the stage these days, but Jamie Lloyd’s debut production at the National is the best in a long while and gives off the warm fireside glow of another solid South Bank hit.

She Stoops, or The Mistakes of a Night, is played in real time: two posh town blades, Marlow and Hastings, arrive in a country house they have been tricked into thinking is an inn. They throw orange peel on the floor, trample over the furniture and order their host to bring them a dinner menu. What larks. Marlow has been consigned by his father (the host’s old friend) as a fiancé to the daughter of the house, Kate Hardcastle, and Hastings is besotted with her cousin Constance.

There are stumbling blocks: Marlow can only talk to servants, and freezes in stuttering embarrassment with girls from his own class. Hastings has been thwarted in pursuit of Constance b...

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Latest User Review

Sam - 11 April 2012:

I saw this yesterday and was very impressed by the whole thing. The cast are terrific and Katherine Kelly was very good indeed. But it was Sophie Thompson who stole the show, she was bloody hilarious! A very enjoyable evening....

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