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Charley’s Aunt, a farce in three acts, was first performed at The Theatre Royal on the 29th of February in 1892 with an historic London run of 1466 performances. Since that time the play has been produced countless times around the world. Its original Broadway run began on October 2, 1893 and ran for a record breaking four years. The play toured internationally and has been revived extensively. There have been multiple adaptations including two silent film versions (1915 and 1925) and the first “talkie” version in 1930. Perhaps the best known film version was created in 1941 and starred Jack Benny. A Broadway musical version called Where’s Charlie created by Frank Loesser of Guys and Dolls fame ran between 1948 and 1950 and was then turned into a film in 1952. If ever there was a piece of theatre that was “tried and true” it is Charley’s Aunt. So just exactly what makes this play so appealing?
A farce comedy can be defined as a play which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humor of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include sexual innuendo and word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Farce is also characterized by physical humor, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances. Farces have been written for the stage and film. Farces often make us laugh until we cry. Charley’s Aunt fits the definition of farce to a tee.
At the outset of the play, two young bachelors wish to woo and marry two young ladies. A chaperone is required, of course, in this refined Victorian setting. Charley’s Aunt, Donna Lucia d’Alvadorez (a rich widow from Brazil that he has never met) is coming to visit and Charley and Jack (the two young men) are happy to know that she can be the chaperone they need to woo the young ladies. Unfortunately his aunt’s visit is delayed causing a problem since the women have already been invited to lunch. It just so happens that their friend Lord Fancourt Babberly (Babbs) is an actor and they persuade him to pose “in drag” as Charley’s Aunt. This is only the beginning of the plot and the complications that ensue provide more twists and turns than imaginable. The play moves at a break neck pace as all good farces should.
Audiences have marveled and laughed for the last century at this true gem of the theatre. An interesting “coincidence” will occur during the run of the CBT production. The play will be performed in February, the month that the original production came to life. We will celebrate the 118th year of Charley’s Aunt on February 29 (must have been a leap year)…we’ll celebrate it on the 28th with a post show discussion.
Charley’s Aunt is directed by UT faculty member Kate Buckely and will feature many of the third year MFA acting students as well as guest and resident artists. It is sure to be a rollicking good time. See you at the theatre!
The University of Tennessee | College of Arts & Sciences | UTK Theatre Department | Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 | 865-974-5161
