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The Vicar of Wakefield
Previously published under the title
She Stoops to Folly
To the memory of my friend Noel O’Donoghue
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The Vicar of Wakefield, under the title She Stoops to Folly, was first presented at South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California, on 1 September 1995. The cast was as follows:
| Vicar | Jim Norton |
| Mrs Primrose | Jane Carr |
| George | Scott Denny |
| Olivia | Devon Raymond |
| Sophy | Jennifer Parsons |
| Moses | Christopher DuVal |
| Dick | Aaron Cohen / Anthony Petrozzi |
| Bill | Andrew Wood / Jason Lau |
| Mr Burchill | Richard Doyle |
| Mr Thornhill | Douglas Sills |
| Reverend Jenks | Ron Boussom |
| Maid/Landlady/Lady Blarney | Lynne Griffin |
| Miss Wilmot/Miss Skeggs | Emily Chase |
| Wilmot/Flamborough/Gaoler | Don Took |
| Landlord/Butler | Art Koustik |
| Timothy Baster | Todd Fuessel |
Directed by Barbara Damashek
Designed by Ralph Funicello
Lighting by Peter Maradudin
Music and sound by Nathan Birnbaum
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The Vicar of Wakefield, under the title She Stoops to Folly, was subsequently presented at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 4 October 1996. The cast was as follows:
| Vicar | Jim Norton |
| Mrs Primrose | Dierdre Donnelly |
| George | Michael Devaney |
| Olivia | Alison McKenna |
| Sophy | Dawn Bradfield |
| Moses | Rory Keenan |
| Dick | Simon Jewell/ Sean O’Flanagain |
| Bill | Darren McCormack/ Daniel O’Connor |
| Reverend Wilmot | Clive Geraghty |
| Miss Wilmot | Dierdre O’Kane |
| Landlord | Des Cave |
| Landlady | Fedelma Cullen |
| Maid | Derdriu Ring |
| Mr Burchill | David Herlihy |
| Mr Thornhill | Frank McCusker |
| Reverend Jeuks | John Olohan |
| Butler | Derry Power |
| Lady Blarney | Barbara Brennan |
| Miss Skeggs | Fionnuala Murphy |
| Flamborough | Stephen Blount |
| Gaoler | Niall O’Brien |
| Ephraim Jenkinson | Brendan Morrisey |
Directed by Patrick Mason
Designed by Francis O’Connor
Lighting by Nick Chelton
Music by Shaun Davey
Choreography by David Bolger
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Characters
Vicar
Mrs Primrose
George
Olivia
Sophy
Moses
Dick
Bill
Reverend Wilmot
Miss Wilmot
Landlord
Landlady
Maid
Mr Burchill
Mr Thornhill
Reverend Jenks
Butler
Lady Blarney
Miss Skeggs
Flamborough
Gaoler
Ephraim Jenkinson
The play derives from The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith.
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Act One
Scene One
Jail – Wakefield
Hollow clanging of an iron door. A spot comes up on Vicar, Dr Primrose, in abject state in the lower depths of prison. (There is another prisoner beside him – later, Jenks – his back to us, who appears to be writing something.) Gaoler has arrived to stand on the top step above them.
Gaoler Vicar! Your fellow-prisoners be assembled for their daily sermon.
Vicar does not move.
Gaoler But, considering the woeful news you had today, I can disassemble them again. Yea, let them do without.
Vicar Thank you, Mr Gaoler, but I’ll continue to do my duty. Sir, a moment, please.
He needs a moment to think. The lights are changing: we are going into flashback. And he begins his story.
I was ever of the opinion that the honest man who married and brought up a family did more for his country than he who continued single and only talked of population. I chose my wife as she did her wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surface but for such qualities as would wear well. To do her justice, she was a good-natured woman, could read any English book without much spelling, and prided herself upon being an excellent contriver in housekeeping, though I could never find that we grew any the richer for all her contrivances. However, we loved each other tenderly, and our fondness increased as we grew old . . . It would be fruitless to deny exultation when I saw my little ones around me, and the vanity and satisfaction of my wife were even greater than mine.
Lights have come up to show the Primrose family in the former happiness and elegance of their Wakefield home. Centre of attention in this happy scene is George, the eldest, nervous and eager, who is being groomed and dressed for an event. Olivia, about nineteen, very beautiful and romantic, is trimming his hair; Sophy, the practical one, is sewing an adornment to his jacket; Dick and Bill, of an age, say about eight – why not, say, twins? – polishing the buckles on his shoes. And the precocious one, Moses, about sixteen, is reading a book. A Maid enters and exits later on. And the whole is being supervised by Mrs Primrose who is entering, who is – fifty?
Mrs Primrose Haste, haste, haste! Hasten, boys! Laws, Sophia! Is it necessary to sit so, huddled like a creature over your needle? Hasten, Olivia! What would they have said of Venus if she had developed the stoops? (Demonstrating her deportment as she exits.) Heads up, so, my dears!
Moses Venus, said to be the daughter of Jupiter and Dione, the wi...
