BRIGHTON LITTLE THEATRE
present

THE ALCHEMIST


Ben Johnson

JULY 7,8,9,10,11 at 8 pm and  JULY 9, 11 at 2 pm

 

In this farcical comedy, three rogues set up a quack’s practice in an abandoned house.

With his master Lovewit in the country to avoid an outbreak of plague in London, a clever servant, Face, develops a scheme to make money and amuse himself. He gives Subtle, a charlatan, and Doll Common, a prostitute, access to the house. Subtle disguises himself as an alchemist, with Face as his servant. Together, the three of them trick and cheat an assortment of foolish clients.

These include Sir Epicure Mammon, a wealthy sensualist looking for the philosopher’s stone; two greedy Puritans, Tribulation Wholesome and Ananias, who hope to counterfeit Dutch money; Drugger, a “tobacco man” hoping to marry the wealthy widow Dame Pliant; and Dapper, an incredibly suave, fashionable, good-looking 17th century gentleman.

Winner's of the Minack Trophy in 2005, BLT return with this fast-paced and funny play which takes place over the course of one day in the house of Face’s master. The three rogues are forced to increasingly frenetic manoeuvres first to manage all of their simultaneous scams, and then to fend off the suspicious Kastril, Dame Pliant’s brother. At last, Lovewit returns; quickly perceiving what Face has done in his absence, he devises a scheme of his own to allow all to end well.

link to Brighton Little Theatre website

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