Duality in The Rivals at the Arcola Theatre

 

Walking into the Arcola Theatre, one would be surprised that past these wooden boards and simplistic architecture, The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, was performed. This late 18th century play was a satire on the romantic melodramatic style, making this venue the perfect contrast to the ostentatious aristocracy it intended to mock. The costume and set design furthered the theme of the play: the duality of aristocracy. Just as Fag said, “Oh, I lied, sir I forget the precise lie; but you may depend on’t he got no truth from me,” the play was full of deceit and trickery. The stage, actors’ interaction with the audience, and music ensured the audience not only understood this theme but felt a part of it. Using these factors, Selina Cadell, the director, produced the play to reflect the era it was written in, while also straying from the authentic style of the times to allow the audiences to infer the dual nature of the play.

Rosalind Ebbut, the designer of the costumes, played with this idea of deception. The costumes reflected both the status and personality of the characters. For instance, the coat Captain Absolute wore was significantly more decorative than that of his servant’s. Additionally, Miss Malaprop personality was evident through her clothing. While she wore a corset and gown typical of her time period, the splash of pink throughout her bonnet and fan, did not seem typical of eighteenth century style, but rather matched her perky yet hifalutin personality. The other anachronisms within the play encouraged the audience to continually see the dualistic theme. For instance, some of the men’s pants were corduroys as opposed to the appropriate slacks of the period. Furthermore, there were women wearing nail polish, which was not invented until the nineteenth century. Because of the contradictory aspects revealed through the actors’ costumes reminded the audience of the dualistic motif.

The scenery furthered this contrast between the romantic timepieces and the unrealistic background, with its austere loft amid an ornamental facade. The backdrop included mostly two-dimensional objects such as some clouds, a column, a set of doors, and flanked on the doorposts were two three-dimensional lanterns. Emma Bailey, the set designer, cleverly used these cardboard looking objects to reflect the deceit in the play. Just like the characters, the design was a charade of its true nature. This was not just true of the two-dimensional objects but the lanterns as well. While they were lit, the true light was coming from the theatre’s house lights, making the lamps unnecessary and purely for show. Additionally, when scenes were changed, little was actually done besides the occasional removal of a column. For example, between the first and second act, a lone cloud was hoisted to the opposite side of the sky. These minute changes, gave the audience the impression that the scenes had changed while subtly reminding them of the duality within the play.

The stage played a crucial role in advancing the play. The size and type of stage contributed to the audiences’ experience, connecting them to the play as more than simply bystanders. Originally, Sheridan directed the play in Covent Garden Theatre. At that time, a thrust stage was used. Using the same stage type, Cadell made the audience feel a part of the scenes, because of the way they surrounded the actors on three sides. The Arcola Theatre was also small, creating a more intimate experience for those watching.

The actors’ interaction with the audience was another essential portion of the play. The actors broke the fourth wall, talking to the audience, which was traditional of the time. Considering the play lasted three hours, the audience involvement helped move the play along. For instance, when Bob Acres nearly fell on a student in the first row, the audience felt as if they were in Bath with the actors. The lighting designed by Tom Boucher along with the actors’ posture and gaze enhanced this feeling. The theatre’s house lights were on during the majority of the play making an additional connection between the actors and the audience, putting everyone on the same level. Furthermore, when the actors spoke, they never had their back to the audience and almost always looked at them, even when speaking to another actor. The only time this changed was during the last scene of the last act where the actors only spoke and looked at one another. Whatever the intent was, it excluded the audience, making them feel like outsiders for the conclusion of the play.

The music, directed by Eliza Thompson, also helped the plot progress. Utilizing music for interludes, Thompson was able to change the dynamic of the play with subtle alterations like the absence of music or use of different instruments. Music was either played in the loft area or was sung by the maids while moving furniture off and on the stage. For the majority of the play, music was used as a way to entertain the audience between scenes such as the young girl who threw hay on the ground to symbolize the setting moved outdoors. As the plot thickened, the girl stopped singing and angrily flung the hay, as opposed to her usual leisurely toss and chipper whistling. Her actions and lack of singing foreshadowed for the audience the sombre mood to come. Another example was in the second act where music became even more essential to the plot. Different instruments and scores were used to set the upcoming atmosphere. For instance, moments before Captain Jack Absolute went to fight Bob Acres, the musical interlude changed from cello and flute to drum, evoking the hum of a battle.

The costume and set design were invaluable for understanding the play. They demonstrated the dual nature ofthe theme, while reflecting the eighteenth century dress and architecture at the same time. The stage, acting, and music helped the play progress allowing a closer connection to form between the actors and the audience. The combination of these factors created a play both true to its original production as well as an audience experience epitomizing the theme of duality.