by William Congreve
seen at the Orange Tree Theatre Richmond on 19 December 2018
Selina Cadell directs Lloyd Everitt as Mellefont, Dharmesh Patel as Careless, Jonathan Broadbent as Brisk, Zoë Waites as both Cynthia and Lady Touchwood and Jenny Rainsford as Lady Plyant, and Edward MacLiam as Maskwell (the double dealer of the title) in this Restoration Comedy from 1693, designed by Madeleine Girling.
As the programme note points out, there are problems with Restoration comedy - the tradition of over-elaborate costumes and props, and a language which to modern ears often sounds over-complex and dismayingly elaborate. The visual aspect of these traditions has been stripped back here, with no wigs for the men, and fine but not extravagant dress. The language is inescapable, and the contests of wit, especially prominent in the first half, still sounded artificial and even at times strained rather than exuberant, despite the intimate setting of the theatre and the best efforts of the cast.