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The Old Bachelor

William Congreve (1670 - 1729)

"In The Old Bachelor we have three or four concurrent plots, which become interwoven, indeed, at the end.... It is recorded that the successive unmasking of four beautiful women gave the audience such delight that they burst into a thunder of applause.

"Here, then, was a play compounded of quite familiar elements, and attempting nothing in the least new or ambitious in technic.... But each of the actions was clear, spirited, and suited to the taste of the day; and the familiarity of the material was redeemed by the novel vivacity of the author's wit."
- Summary by William Archer, editor, 1912

Cast list:
Heartwell, a surly old bachelor, pretending to slight women, secretly in love with Silvia: ToddHW
Bellmour, in love with Belinda: Jason in Panama
Vainlove, capricious in his love; in love with Araminta: Tomas Peter
Sharper: KHand
Sir Joseph Wittol: Adrian Stephens
Captain Bluffe: Adam Bielka
Fondlewife, a banker: Larry Wilson
Setter, a pimp: alanmapstone
Barnaby, servant to Fondlewife: Craig Franklin
Araminta, in love with Vainlove: B L Newman
Belinda, her cousin, an affected lady, in love with Bellmour: JennPratt
Lætitia, wife to Fondlewife: Sonia
Sylvia, Vainlove’s forsaken mistress: Availle
Lucy, her maid: Lisanne Lavoie
Betty: Lydia
Boy: Elijah Fisher
Footman: Nemo
Music-Master: Elijah Fisher
Servant to Fondlewife: Elijah Fisher
Stage Directions: MichaelMaggs
Editing: ToddHW

Genre(s): Satire

Language: English