The University of Lethbridge is ending their theatre season on a high note with “The Country Wife,” which takes place, March 18-22 in the University Theatre.
William Wycherley’s restoration comedy “The Country Wife,” which was first produced in 1675, was considered too naughty for eighteenth and ninetee
nth century audiences, but it is a great ending to this season’s series of more serious productions.
“It’s fun to to do a comedy in a season that has been full of heavy and dramatic productions,” said Carolyn Ruether, who plays Althea in the play.
“ She is the country wife’s sister. She is very prim and proper,” she described.
Aimee McGurk is excited about playing the country wife, Margery Pinchwife.
“She’s young, and naïve, but she does have a darker side,” she said.
Cameron Lomon plays the country wife’s domineering husband Jack Pinchwife.
“He paid 5,000 pounds for her, which was quite a lot of money in those days. He is a man of a jealous nature,” he said.
While those are the main characters, the plot revolves around the antics and escapades of Harry Horner who spreads an explicit rumour around town about his impotence with the goal of tricking the townsfolk into allowing him to fraternize with the local women.
While chasing his sexual exploits he encounters the lusty Margery Pinchwife, a country girl betrothed to the unassuming and naïve Mr. Pinchwife. Their ridiculous relationship and crass calamity keeps audiences enraptured from beginning to end.
“Mr. Harry Horner had a surgery which went wrong, but he uses it as an excuse to behave less than honourably towards the women of the country,” Lomon described.
Or more succinctly:
“ It’s about the secret lives of women and the cuckolds who take their liberty with them,” Ruether described.
She is in awe of the costume design for this show.
“They put 900 hours into these costumes to make them look like they came from the time period,” Ruether observed.
There are 15 cast members in the production.
“ I’ve enjoyed getting to know everybody,” Ruether said.
McGurk enjoyed working with director Ron Chambers for this play.
“He’s been amazing. He’s a fantastic and fun director,” McGurk said.
“Our production connects the audience with the characters on stage – an approximation of theatre as it was done when this play was first written. Theatre was lively, with conversations and interaction between audience and actors. Our version works to accomplish that,” said director Ron Chambers in a press release.
“The actors have studied how people of that era wore and used their clothing, their postures and movements. The audience will be able to see the incredible detail that was put into constructing these costumes since they will be seated close to the actors as well,” Chambers said.
“I’m excited about it. This play needs an audience,” McGurk continued.
Lomon noted though the play takes place in the 1600s the themes still translate well to today.
“You can see how it does translate,” he said.
The stage is an unusual H shape, so the audience is up close to the action on stage.
“It is an odd configuration. It is two catwalks. It is an H. There is a different view from almost every part of it,” said stage manager Benton Neufeld.
The show is at 8 p.m. each night.
Tickets for The Country Wife are available at the University Box Office, Monday – Friday, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm, or by calling (403) 329-2616. Tickets are $18 regular, $15 senior, $12 students and are also available for purchase online: uleth.ca/tickets.
