The School for Scandal

The Peacock Theatre in Hobart was recently the venue of an unpleasant school - The School for Scandal. PLoT (Produce Lots of Theatre) presented a new version of the much-produced Sheridan play.

When School for Scandal was firstperformed in London in 1777 it was a contemporary work. Who would have believed that almost 237 years later it would still have a resonance with current society? PLoT, under the direction of Mark Morgan, set this version against the background of the "roaring twenties", in a show that regular theatre-goers would appreciate.

Fast-paced and amusing – the clever wordiness of Scandal is quite a challenge for actors and audience – its continuing success must lie in the characters, odious as they are. Who doesn’t know a Sneerwell, Snake, or a Backbite, or even a “gossip club” like the School for Scandal? Laura Gilkes was an elegant and nasty Lady Sneerwell, while Ben Harvey maintained the two-faced personae of Joseph Surface, and was convincingly sly, devious and horrible throughout. Michael Bruce was the charming Charles Surface, whose expansive, generous gestures worked to gain audience sympathy. Other excellent performances were from Shannon Harwood as Agnes, Tara Carroll as Snake, and Mel Cuthbertson as Mrs Candour. The entire cast was competent and Mark Morgan kept the action bubbling along. Sir Peter and Lady Teazle, played by Mark Morgan and Sera Goldstone, jostled for supremacy in their mis-match of a marriage, with some quick repartee and jolly flirting.

A simple but adaptable set and fast scene changes as befitting a comedy of manners play, allowed for the rapid comings and goings of the ensemble. Although Sheridan is not to everyone’s taste, this play still has relevance, despite its age. The themes of defamation of character, deceptive appearances, hypocrisy, and the pitfalls of idleness are bleak, but the play can also be taken as a cautionary tale. Words wound, even if they are funny! School for Scandal is also a good vehicle for actors to learn or hone their skills.

Merlene Abbott