Kelvin Players present a wild comedy of love, loathing, lust and looting

Archer: “Instead of riveting your eyes to a beauty, try to fix ‘em upon a fortune – that’s our business!”

Aimwell: “No woman can be a beauty without a fortune [and] I am a marksman!”

George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem, one the most enduring of 18th century comedies, comes to Kelvin Players’ Studio Theatre at the top of Pigsty Hill, Gloucester Road, from 25th to 29th April 2017 – a fun evening to be enjoyed by all!

In the early 1700s, two charming but dissolute young men, Aimwell and Archer, arrive at an inn in Lichfield, nearly broke from living it up in London. But these two Beaux have devised a “stratagem” for recouping their fortunes: Marry for money!

In Lichfield, wealthy Lady Bountiful and her daughter-in-law are desperately looking to attract eligible young men; one to seek happiness and security in marriage and the other to seek happiness by escaping from her marriage to a man she loathes.

Aimwell pretends to be a lord and Archer his servant in order to impress the ladies. However, the young men find that Lichfield is also home to a variety of dubious characters: a dishonest landlord who would prostitute his daughter, shady highwaymen, a maid with aspirations, a loathsome husband and a rather curious priest. All of whom could scupper their plan.

The stage is set for planning and plotting, deceit and delight, corruption and comic confusion. So will the two Beaux succeed in their Stratagem – or the ladies in theirs?!

Director, Martin Walsh, says: “Like all classic plays, this play has universal appeal. Here are recognizable characters and situations, portrayed with a wit, comedy and genuine humanity which looks forward to the plays of Sheridan and Goldsmith.”

Kelvin Players is one of the region’s most prolific and respected non-professional theatre groups, winning awards ever since it was founded in 1929. Kelvin’s period costume presentation of this timeless classic is certain to be as popular as ever.

Evenings at 7.30pm. Tickets £12 (£10 concessions) can be bought:

online at: http://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk  

by email: boxoffice@kelvinplayers.co.uk 

by phone: 0117 9240899

For more info about Kelvin Players, see: http://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk