London Assurance

Synopsis

A trip out to the country takes old roué Sir Harcourt Courtly, his young son and his friend Dazzle on a wild journey into a world full of madcap characters - the amazonian Lady Gay Spanker, suave Mr Cool, the scandal-pursuing lawyer Meddle and countless others. Most striking of all is the beautiful young Miss Grace Harkaway who becomes the object of affection of both father and son. All exhibit the quality of London Assurance, the arrogance, cheek swagger and sheer joie de vivre of people taking life by storm. Liar, bigamist, suspected murderer, confidence trickster and undisputed giant of British drama, Dion Boucicault was one of the most colourful personalities the theatre has produced. London Assurance is a celebration and parody of classical English comedy and inspiration to later playwrights such as Wilde, Synge, O'Casey and Pinero. It is a wonderful, youthful cry-of-joy of a play.

Our Review:

18 April 2008

Dion Boucicault has been described as ‘the Irish Shakespeare’ and ‘a Victorian Andrew Lloyd Webber’! This first play by the prolific and popular writer was hugely successful at Covent Garden in 1841.

Watching Nikolai Foster’s charming and lively revival, it’s easy to see why. Boucicault’s story may be preposterous, but that’s part of the fun and his characters are full-blooded, whether they’re scheming liggers, grasping lawyers, sagacious butlers, ageing dandies or feisty women of any age.

All of these and more collide here, first in Sir Harcourt Courtly’s ultra-fashionable Grosvenor Square townhouse, although the action soon moves to the laid-back gentility of Max Harkaway’s Gloucestershire estate.

Sir Harcourt is in denial where his son Charles is concerned, assuming he’s in bed at nine, when he’s actually out all night at the gaming tables. The sixty-something dandy is also in denial about his son’s age – and his own. So much so that he’s contemplating a m...

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