The Beaux’ Stratagem Reveals Truth and Talent
[title type="subtitle-h6"]Laura Schmitt[/title][vc_row][vc_column width="11/12"][vc_column_text]University Theatre’s production of The Beaux’ Stratagem drives home one simple yet important message: appearances, in all aspects of life, are often deceiving.The Beaux’ Stratagem, written by George Farquhar and adapted by Thorton Wilder and Ken Ludwig, is a comedy set in the 18th century about two gentlemen who try to con their way into good fortune only to discover they are not the only people in town hiding behind a façade.The story begins when penniless comrades Aimwell and Archer arrive in the town of Lichfield with a plan to woo young heiresses, steal their money and move on. Aimwell sets his sights on Dorinda, daughter of the wealthy but clearly crazy Lady Bountiful.Like all great comedies, the original plan faces unforeseen obstacles that lead to robbery, romance and riotous laughter.Director Patricia Boyette’s adaptation of the show captures the complexity of the play’s plot in everything from the ragged and vibrant costumes to the wooden set that transforms from a simple inn to an extravagant mansion in a matter of moments.Much like the theater in which the play is performed, the cast of The Beaux’ Stratagem is small but tells a thoroughly entertaining story with contagious energy.The cast is made up of University of Wisconsin-Madison students, alumni and faculty, many of whom are experienced performers while others are making their theatrical debut.[video_embed url="https://vimeo.com/146200610" embed_style="default"][spacer height="30"]The Beaux’ Stratagem is senior Marcus Jahn’s first production at UW-Madison, but no one in the audience would be able to tell from Jahn’s excellent performance as Archer, one of the lead characters in the play.As a theater and drama major, Jahn has had a love for theater all his life, but it was not until this semester that he had enough time in his schedule to audition for a UW-Madison production.Playing the role of Archer has been a great opportunity for Jahn, both personally and professionally.“I love how confident Archer is,” Jahn said. “He thinks he can scheme or charm his way out of any situation. When I play Archer, I get a sense of that confidence, and I wish I could take that with me in my actual life.”Working with a diverse cast has also been a new experience for Jahn.“I was used to only working with my peers,” Jahn said. “This cast consists of all sorts of ages and acting experiences. Talking and working with a varied group of people really helped me grow as an actor.”The play features witty dialogue in old English, but the humor in The Beaux’ Stratagem is surprisingly contemporary.When the character Dorinda asks her sister, Kate, if an “honest man” is an oxymoron, Kate says, “Ox and moron are both words often used to describe the opposite sex, but I assure you, dear sister, this gentleman in church was indeed a man of virtue.”The colorful cast of characters repeatedly breaks the third wall, a dramatic technique common in Shakespearean theater where actors directly address the audience as if they are aware they are in a play.At multiple points throughout the show, the characters launch into insightful monologues discussing their problems with marriage, reputation, social class and fate.For Maddie Wilinski, connecting with her character Cherry has been an enjoyable process that has helped her appreciate the masterful work of the playwright Farquhar.“The characters defy the stereotypical versions of themselves,” Wilinski said. “Cherry could just be a flirtatious, lower-class young woman if Farquhar hadn’t given her an unusual strength. She recognizes the faults of the men in her life and doesn’t let them get the better of her.”Like Cherry, all the characters in The Beaux’ Stratagem present the audience with a first impression only to prove that appearances merely display a portion of the truth.The complex characters in The Beaux Stratagem drive the plot and raise big questions about what it means to be human.Claire Mason, the dramaturg and script expert for University Theatre’s production, believes the struggles the characters face in The Beaux’ Stratagem remain relevant for audiences today.“We, not unlike Farquhar, Wilder or Ludwig are also in the middle of a cultural and social shift where the balance between the urban and rural has been thrown into staunch relief,” Mason said. “Questions of inheritance, power, privilege and decency are just as important today as they were in the time of Farquhar.”The characters in The Beaux’ Stratagem show us that presenting certain versions of ourselves to deal with change or prevent vulnerability is natural.Like Archer says in the closing scene, “disguise is human,” but life is often most fulfilling when we unmask ourselves. Cover image courtesy of University Theater[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]