Ribald farce kicks off Theatre Guild season

Theatre

The history of amateur theatre in Adelaide is replete with scientists who have made the stage a second passion. Alex Kirk is no exception.
The Adelaide Geology graduate (Bachelor of Science, Honours, 1964) is consumed with fascination for the theatre that flourished in England in the decades after the restoration of Charles II.

Last year, he kicked off the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild's 2005 season with a moving one-night reading of Susanna Centlivre's 1714 comedy The Wonder.

It was so successful that the Theatre Guild has asked him back to launch the 2006 season later this month - and upped the number of performances to two nights!

This time, he's chosen one of the smash hits of late 17th century theatre, Edward Ravenscroft's The London Cuckolds. When it first appeared in 1681, the play was an instant success - and continued to be revived until the middle of the 18th century.

The storyline revolves around Ned Ramble and his attempts to woo various married women, who in turn try to woo men of their own (not their husbands, needless to say).

It's a gleeful mix of stock characters - idiot husbands, randy wives and wily servants - but Ravenscroft infuses his farcical tale with a unique mix of wit and shameless ribaldry that made it enormously popular in its time and still enjoyable today.

The Theatre Guild's production will also feature music of the age performed by singers and musicians from the Elder Conservatorium.

Theatre Guild Chair John Edge will open the play - and the Guild's 2006 season - by reading the Prologue.

The London Cuckolds has two performances only, on Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31 at 7pm in the Little Theatre.

All tickets $10 on 8303 5999, or the Theatre Guild website.