Review: 'She Stoops to Conquer' at the Orange Tree Theatre

'She Stoops to Conquer' Review

November 18th to January 13th 2024

Address: 1 Clarence St, Richmond TW9 2QE. Get directions.

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Our verdict

 “I love everything old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines…,” says the loveably cantankerous Mr Hardcastle and his sentiment can certainly be echoed in Tom Littler’s excellent revival of Oliver Goldsmith’s engaging 18th-century play which amply demonstrates the enduring vintage of Goldsmith’s fine comedy of manners.

Set on Christmas Eve, this new production has now been successfully tweaked to combine old and new, updating the setting from 1773 to 1934, where landowner Mr Hardcastle has invited young gentleman-about-town Marlow to visit his home as a prospective suitor for his daughter Kate.

Marlow is a bag of contradictions, bashful and utterly tongue-tied in front of female peers, yet confident and amorous with girls from a working background, something the resourceful Kate, smitten with her suitor, will exploit to maximum effect when she briefly masquerades as a barmaid, successfully snaring Marlow’s lasting affections. 

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Marc Brenner

Elsewhere, Hardcastle’s wife Dorothy is trying to sort out her feckless son Tony Lumpkin, whose shenanigans include convincing the gullible Marlow and his friend Hastings that Hardcastle Hall is actually an inn and Hardcastle merely the innkeeper.

It’s a ruse which, of course, has farcical consequences for all, not least the glorious, slightly grumpy Hardcastle ( David Horovitch in sublime, scene-stealing form), who cannot believe the reputedly reserved Marlow’s sudden boldness of manner.

Horovitch epitomises the phrase ‘less is more,’ each twitch of his mouth or eyebrows signalling so much with the simplest gesture. 

The entire ensemble (augmented by a rotating cast of locals for the pub scene) sparkles, making Goldmith’s play, which has a larger-than-life feel, entirely suitable given the festive season. Guy Hughes has much fun as the irrepressible Lumpkin, playing to the audience and regaling them with his latest musical offering. Freddie Fox is first-class as the conflicted upper-crust Marlow and Tanya Reynolds is persuasive as his conqueror Kate. 

Goldmith’s play explores the gulf between town and country, as well as delving into the way class divisions create comedic repercussions, and Littler’s direction brings out every ounce of the comedy as well as surprising moments of pathos too. 

Anett Black and Neil Irish’s gorgeous set deserves special mention, conjuring a festive country house to perfection: its large Christmas tree occupying pride of place and every entrance festooned with holly, a stately stag’s head proclaiming the hall’s country credentials.

All in all, the production offers benevolent and delightfully droll Christmas fare, the ideal alternative to panto.