She Stoops to Conquer / A Laughing Matter

Premiered in 1773, She Stoops to Conquer broke the mould with its satirical swipe at polite society.  It tells the story of young Charles Marlow and his search for the perfect wife.  Inept in the art of love, he’s unable to woo ladies of the upper class, but when he falls for the barmaid he ends up getting more than he bargained for.

A Laughing Matter opens in 1773 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.  The crowd is getting restless.  The leading man’s unconscious but the show must go on.  This irreverent version of real-life events tells the story of David Garrick, Dr Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith and a new play called She Stoops to Conquer. Caught between financial pressures and artistic ambition, Garrick must decide if he can risk staging a play which could make or break his career.

REVIEWS

‘A superb double of comic infiltration’
-Daily Mail

‘Generates more ideas in an evening than most West End shows do in a 12-month run’
-Observer

‘Cheekily transformative intelligence and vigour’
-London Evening Standard

‘A terrific double bill… a superbly versatile company of 11 actors gloriously inhabit both plays‘
-Sunday Express

CAST & CREATIVES

Cast: Nigel Cooke, Stephen Beresford, Christopher Staines, Monica Dolan, Ian Redford, Fritha Goodey, Owen Sharpe, Bella Merlin, Jason Watkins, Jane Wood, Matthew Sim.

Director: Max Stafford-Clark  
Designer: Julian McGowan
Lighting: Johanna Town 
Music: Paddy Cunneen 
Sound: Neil Alexander 
Choreographer: Wendy Allnutt 
Assistant Director: Matthew Wilde

PERFORMANCES

She Stoops to Conquer / A Laughing Matter was co-produced by Out of Joint & the National Theatre and toured from 17 December 2002 –  19 April 2003 after opening at the Lyttelton.