The Lottery of Love

by Pierre Marivaux translated by John Fowles

seen at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond on 8 April 2017

This is the first staged prodiction of John Fowles's version of Marivaux's play Le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard though there was a workshop at the National in 1984. It is directed by Paul Miller and designed by Simon Daw, and features Dorothea Myer-Bennett as Sylvia, Claire Lams as Louisa (her maid), Pip Donaghy as Mr Morgan (her father), Tam Williams as Martin (her brother), Ashley Zhangazha as Richard (her suitor) and Keir Charles as John Brass (his manservant).

The plot is farcical, but it has serious undertones concerning marriage, social status, and the inequality of the sexes in regards to the consequences of dalliance. Though the play ends with two happy couples and a father's blessing, the way towards this resolution is hilariously treacherous. Sylvia resents any idea that she should play an unquestioning role in the marriage market, and is scornful of her maid's notions that she should be pleased because Richard is good looking. She therefore wins permission to swap roles with Louisa in order to observe Richard at unawares. Mr Morgan only permits this because he has found out that Richard has proposed exactly the same ruse and arrives pretending to be his manservant. The two false servants immediately fall in love with each other, as do the two false gentlefolk, allowing for all sorts of confusions and misdirections between them, especially as Mr Morgan and his son Martin collude with the chaos.

Fowles reset the play in Regency England,and the wit and social conventions on display emphasise the resemblance to the social comedy of Jane Austen's novels. This is gloriously enhanced by the performances, particularly of Dorothea Myer-Bennett as Sylvia and Ashley Zhangazha as Richard. (Keir Charles as Brass pretending to be the master is perhaps a little over-played, while Louisa's sophistication is perhaps a little too modern). At a fast-paced 90 minutes, it is a thoroughly enjoyable production with a surprisingly emotional punch as Sylvia is forced by the ambush of love at first sight to move from amused disdain to highly charged self-defence in a very short time. There is always an edge threatening disaster, and it is this which prevents the sunny outcome from being merely sentimental.