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Ahh, another female playwright. Who was, apparently, twenty when she wrote this. Way to make me feel like a slacker, Ms. Cathy T, I'm twenty three and haven't written one play yet. (Several terrible novels and shorts, yes. But I think that counts more against me than for me.) While I'm still getting the silliness out of my system I should mention that I giggled a little every time I read the name Lesbia. (Yes, I am twelve years old. But then again, maybe that explains why she seems to care more about Lucilia than either of her husbands-to-be...)
Anyway. Onward and upward.
I think the title Ms. Cathy T. chose for her lost update to this play was half-way in the right direction; The Honourable Deceivers seems to hit the theme of this play right on the spot. The change in the sub-title though, from Most Votes Carry It to All Right at the Last, makes me wonder if she made a change to the ending. Though nigh everybody was married off (have things really changed much in romantic comedies over the past three hundred years?), the version we have doesn't really end as "All Right". Lesbia is indifferent, Miranda and Beaumine seem resigned, and Grandfoy is left on his own. And they all lived somewhat-contentedly ever after, or at least for a couple of years.
At any rate, almost every character in this play is an Honourable Deceiver in some sense or other, and Ms. Cathy T. explores several different facets of that genre of character. With Miranda we see the typical coquette, playing with her oh-so-Constant lover's affections by flirting with other men. Though there's certainly a will to cause Constant some strife, it's made clear in her scene (IV.i) with Lesbia that Miranda means no real harm. Sure enough, Miranda is reformed more fully than any of the other characters as she's the only one officially married at the conclusion of the play. Lucilia has a lover just as constant as Constant, but she's the "innocent" of the play so her deceit is all a big misunderstanding, not something of her design. Thank goodness for crafty servants with an eerie penchant for forgery, romantic comedies would be lost without 'em.
And then there's *snicker* Lesbia, the main character for all intents and purposes. This play was definitely interesting in that the girls owned most of the show, with the boys acting more as supporting cast and comic relief (hello, Bonsot.) All the action and little plots are conceived of and carried out by girls (apart from Beaumine's lies that keep him and Lesbia from marrying, which are more in the background). Rather than a reformed rake (Beaumine certainly won't let marriage slow him down), we have a woman who has been caught up in her own net of lies and will spend the rest of the play on the quest to become a reformed deceiver.
The introduction in the text for this play talks about Lesbia's lack of agency as she leaves her choice of a marriage partner up for vote - what really hammered this home for me was the last chunk of lines for the play. Once the vote has been cast and Lesbia accepts it, she - nor any of the other women - speak again as the boys wrap up the play. Beaumine gets the final monologue, Constant gets a word in, Phillabell talks - even Bonsot and Grandfoy! And there is nothing from Lesbia, Miranda, Lucilia, characters who have been the primary agents of this play are mute as it comes to an end, as the marriages are set in stone. How fitting.
While the main characters are all honourable deceivers (apart from Grandfoy and Constant, who seem to be more honourably deceived, and mostly by the women), Bonsot is the only one who prides himself on telling the truth. And he's an idiot. A total moron. Absolutely hilarious as a character, bumbling and annoying and generally throwing a wrench into everyone's plans by his good nature. As such I think he's a walking critique of the mores and "honour" of the kind of society that. Ms. Cathy T. is exploring. The presence of Bonsot starts to push this play into the realm of satire: if the cynical, deceitful Beaumine is a better gentleman than honest Bonsot, you can bet the truth ain't usually welcomed.
Number of plays read: 6
Ladies-dressed-as-boys: 5 (Dangit, where are our girls in trousers?!)
Anyway. Onward and upward.
I think the title Ms. Cathy T. chose for her lost update to this play was half-way in the right direction; The Honourable Deceivers seems to hit the theme of this play right on the spot. The change in the sub-title though, from Most Votes Carry It to All Right at the Last, makes me wonder if she made a change to the ending. Though nigh everybody was married off (have things really changed much in romantic comedies over the past three hundred years?), the version we have doesn't really end as "All Right". Lesbia is indifferent, Miranda and Beaumine seem resigned, and Grandfoy is left on his own. And they all lived somewhat-contentedly ever after, or at least for a couple of years.
At any rate, almost every character in this play is an Honourable Deceiver in some sense or other, and Ms. Cathy T. explores several different facets of that genre of character. With Miranda we see the typical coquette, playing with her oh-so-Constant lover's affections by flirting with other men. Though there's certainly a will to cause Constant some strife, it's made clear in her scene (IV.i) with Lesbia that Miranda means no real harm. Sure enough, Miranda is reformed more fully than any of the other characters as she's the only one officially married at the conclusion of the play. Lucilia has a lover just as constant as Constant, but she's the "innocent" of the play so her deceit is all a big misunderstanding, not something of her design. Thank goodness for crafty servants with an eerie penchant for forgery, romantic comedies would be lost without 'em.
And then there's *snicker* Lesbia, the main character for all intents and purposes. This play was definitely interesting in that the girls owned most of the show, with the boys acting more as supporting cast and comic relief (hello, Bonsot.) All the action and little plots are conceived of and carried out by girls (apart from Beaumine's lies that keep him and Lesbia from marrying, which are more in the background). Rather than a reformed rake (Beaumine certainly won't let marriage slow him down), we have a woman who has been caught up in her own net of lies and will spend the rest of the play on the quest to become a reformed deceiver.
The introduction in the text for this play talks about Lesbia's lack of agency as she leaves her choice of a marriage partner up for vote - what really hammered this home for me was the last chunk of lines for the play. Once the vote has been cast and Lesbia accepts it, she - nor any of the other women - speak again as the boys wrap up the play. Beaumine gets the final monologue, Constant gets a word in, Phillabell talks - even Bonsot and Grandfoy! And there is nothing from Lesbia, Miranda, Lucilia, characters who have been the primary agents of this play are mute as it comes to an end, as the marriages are set in stone. How fitting.
While the main characters are all honourable deceivers (apart from Grandfoy and Constant, who seem to be more honourably deceived, and mostly by the women), Bonsot is the only one who prides himself on telling the truth. And he's an idiot. A total moron. Absolutely hilarious as a character, bumbling and annoying and generally throwing a wrench into everyone's plans by his good nature. As such I think he's a walking critique of the mores and "honour" of the kind of society that. Ms. Cathy T. is exploring. The presence of Bonsot starts to push this play into the realm of satire: if the cynical, deceitful Beaumine is a better gentleman than honest Bonsot, you can bet the truth ain't usually welcomed.
Number of plays read: 6
Ladies-dressed-as-boys: 5 (Dangit, where are our girls in trousers?!)
