Notes from the directors:
Hannah Cowley’s The Belle’s Stratagem was one of the most popular plays of its day. Opening on February 22, 1780, it quickly became part of the standard repertory of the theatre at Covent Garden, enjoyed by the likes of Jane Austen, who designated it her favorite play. However, as theater tastes changed and women playwrights fell from favor in the 19th century, works by Cowley were seen less and less often. Only recently was this gem of the 18th century revived.
The play, at its most basic, is about love and marriage and their attendant power relationships. As we read and reread it, we were struck by two things. First, it’s a very clever, funny piece of work, reminiscent of those screwball romantic comedies from the cinema of the 1930’s and 40’s. Second, its commentary on relationships and specifically women in relationships had a decidedly modern ring to it.
Indeed, the more we worked with The Belle, the more we realized that Cowley had given playgoers a wide spectrum of belles to contemplate. From the sharply witty Mrs. Racket to the rambunctiously decisive Letitia Hardy, on to the naively intellectual Lady Frances and Miss Ogle with her pointed criticism, each has her own stratagem for dealing with the relationships in her life while retaining her identity and self-respect. The men have their say too. To Cowley’s credit, they are not ciphers, nor are they, with one notable exception, villains. Like the women, they are trying to figure out how to relate to the opposite sex. They want what’s best for themselves and the women in their lives, but they don’t always know what
—Vicki Harkovitch & Lisa Shea-Blanchard
