The Recruiting Officer

The Recruiting Officer

by George Farquhar

Directed by Ruth Readshaw

Dates: 11 – 22 July, 8pm (matinee: 2.30pm, Saturday 15 July)

Location: Trinity College Gardens, Parks Road Entrance, Oxford OX1 3BH

Tickets: Tickets £16 / £13 concessions. Groups of 7+ one free ticket.

How to book your tickets

Join us in Trinity College Gardens for an action-packed show, full of witty repartee and music!

George Farquhar’s Restoration masterpiece, The Recruiting Officer, is a comic satire enjoyed by audiences of all ages down the years.

Captain Plume and his sidekick Sergeant Kite of the Grenadier Guards return from war to recruit soldiers in the market town of Shrewsbury. Meanwhile, Silvia and Melinda set out to recruit men of their own. Throw into the mix rakes, society fops, girls dressed as boys, disguises and mistaken identities, trickery and fortune telling, snobbery and social climbing – and a duel – all stirred up by the sexual politics of the time. How does this end?

 

Production

This is an outdoor production. Seating is on plastic seats with armrests. Bring your own cushion. The seating is arranged in rows either side of the playing space, with a main stage, smaller stage, and traverse playing area. There will be mock sword fights, a mock duel with sound effects, and a smoke machine in one scene after the interval. There is a wet weather venue on site, 3 minutes walk from the outdoor space. Blankets are available for hire.

Cast

Silvia - Olivia Rogers
Melinda - Paloma Cole
Lucy - Hannah Hasseloff
Mr Balance - Keith Heddle
Mr Worthy - Edward Rowett
Captain Plume - Peter Todd
Captain Brazen - Triona Adams
Sergeant Kite - Richard Readshaw
Bullock - David Lemberg
Rose - Kate Morris
Bridewell - Kate Eckersley
Mr Scale / Costar Pearmain - Fleur Yerbury-Hodgson
Mr Scruple / Thomas Appletree - Anna Clark
Pluck - David Lemberg
Thomas / Tycho / Collier - ET Creswell
Isabella Allen - Ensemble/Understudy Silvia, Melinda, Lucy
Mob / Servants / Prisoners - Ensemble