She left england soon after the restoration of charles ii for the south american colony of surinam, which provided the setting for her novel, oronooko. This programme shows a complete performance of aphra behns comedy the rover, first performed in 1677 and set in naples at carnival time during the 1650s. Aphra behns the rover and susannah centlivres the busy body, in look whos laughing. How is aphra behns work shaped by the culture of the restoration playhouse. This programme shows a complete performance of aphra behns comedy the rover, first performed in 1677 and. The rover will use nudity to explore how our bodies can help define our identity, and how hiding and revealing our identities on our own terms can help to achieve personal freedom. From its first lines, the rover differs from other dramas. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. These were interesting times, just before the outbreak of civil war in. That april, we remounted the production for a live television broadcast on koce, orange countys pbs affiliate.
Nov 02, 2015 the rover, unfortunately in the latter group, is a production that only sometimes works, despite the best of intentions. The rover, or the banishd cavaliers is a 1677 play in two parts by the english author aphra behn. Aphra behn and the restoration theatre great writers inspire. She is believed to have married a man with the last. For aphra behn, the first woman playwright, to enter the fiercely competitive arena of the professional theatre was, therefore, a significant achievement. This is for educational purposes only and complies with. The rover part one full audiobook by aphra behn by plays audiobook duration. Aphra behns the rover engages with the social, political and sexual conditions of the 17th century, as well as with theatrical traditions of carnival and misrule. During the exile of charles ii a band of cavaliers, prominent amongst whom are willmore the rover, belvile, frederick, and ned blunt, find themselves at naples in carnival time. The rover 1677 behns bestknown comedy is an entirely and openly rewritten version of thomas kiligrews thomaso, or the wanderer. Virtue, honor, reputation and female identity in the sexual economy of the rover. The rover summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
The rover, by englands first woman playwright, aphra behn, is a comedy of sexual intrigue, mistaken identities, challenges to social norms, and a search for love, set in a 17thcentury spanish colony during carnival. Watch the feature trailer for aphra s behn s the rover find out more. Our 2016 carnival production of the rover by englands first female professional playwright, aphra behn. The play opens in naples, where two spanish sisters helena and florinda, discuss love. Set in madrid and naples during the exile of englands king charles ii, the play depicts the adventures of a small group of english cavaliers. Don pedro enters and announces that their father wishes. As a writer, randich, her collaborators, and page 73 productions were awarded a 2002 jonathan larson performing arts foundation grant for. Aphra behns plays the rover 1677 and the second part of the rover 1681. Pics and music are not mine, and i thank all celebrities, artists, etc. The rover the royal central school of speech and drama. The rover is saved by talented production fourth estate. Discussion of themes and motifs in aphra behn s the rover. Aphra behn, english dramatist, fiction writer, and poet who was the first englishwoman known to earn her living by writing.
Actor joseph millson describes the story of aphra behns play, the rover watch the video. Photos and biographies of the cast and creatives of the rover find out more. This is a production of the play the rover by aphra behn by royal shakespeare company, 6th november 1987 press night, at mermaid theatre, london. Although aphra behns the rover should stay nested in a textbook for years to come, maybe forever, this production was charming and. The highlight of this collection which gives us four of behns plays is the rover 1677. About the play the rover royal shakespeare company.
By the mid90s, feminist criticism had moved beyond the need to posit an absolute identification between the gender politics of early women writers, and those of. Check the companys details for free and view the companies house information, company documents and list of directors. But the laughter that the play insights has a biting edge to it and the sexual intrigue an unsettling depth. Willmore, the title character, is a rake and a libertine, and the comedy feeds on sexual innuendo, intrigue and wit. In 1677, poet, translator, libertine, and sometime spy for charles ii, aphra behn was the first published professional female playwright in the english language. Naked shakespeare in the park returns with aphra behns. Rewriting the british theatrical tradition and women of grace. It is a revision of thomas killigrews play thomaso, or the wanderer 1664, and depicts the amorous adventures of a group of englishmen in naples at carnival time. How is aphra behn s work shaped by the culture of the restoration playhouse. The rover follows the escapades of a band of banished english cavaliers as they enjoy themselves at a carnival in naples.
The story strings together multiple plotlines revolving around the amorous adventures of these englishmen, who pursue a pair of noble spanish sisters, as well as a mistress and common prostitute. Behn used thomas killigrews play thomaso written in. The rover premiered 1677 to such great success that behn wrote a sequel that was produced in 1681. Elaine hobby introduces behns play and explores how it was first performed and received. Reviving aphra behns the rover susan carlson susan carlson is professor of english at iowa state university. Aphra behn 164089, the first professional female playwright, led a tumultuous and colorful life, both in and out of the theater. Her play the rover, or the banishd cavaliers was wildly popular in the court, but behn was dismissed by critics as scandalous, lewd, and morally depraved, due to her frank address of female sexual longing. Behn served as a spy in antwerp and was imprisoned for a time for debt.
Behns fiction included the short novel oroonoko 1688, her bestknown book. Discussion of themes and motifs in aphra behns the rover. Performed by ma acting classical students all women together, ought to let flowers fall upon the grave of aphra behn, for it was she who earned. The rover study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
Aphra behn 1640 1689 the rover, or the banishd cavaliers, is a play in two parts written by the english author aphra behn. The rover study guide from litcharts the creators of. Her own had died or run off a few years into the marriage. A cavalier meets his match among strong women in loveday ingrams carnivalesque production of aphra behns. The rover, unfortunately in the latter group, is a production that only sometimes works, despite the best of intentions. As initiated in my bachelor paper, i discuss the depiction of female sexuality, but i will also elucidate behns blurring gender roles and denouncing commodification and commercialisation of women on the marriage market. It is the debauched, anarchic story of three young womens attempts to escape masculine control, arranged marriages and convents and the exiled english solders they meet and fall in love with. Theyre led by willmore, a seventeenthcentury playboy whos been round the block a few times and. Bring your own theatre productions will be presenting the rover by aphra behn at prop theater, 3502 n elston ave, chicago, il 60618, july 28th30th and august 4th6th. Playing in the swan theatre in stratforduponavon from. The rover by aphra behn directed by joanne akalaitis. She wrote for money because money was a better form of dependency than a husband.
Designer manuela harding lighting designer johanne jensen sound designer dan balfour fight director bethan clark assistant director kieran mortell voice coach morwenna rowe. The rover by aphra behn is a play directed by ben naylor and anna healey and performed by ma acting classical students the royal central school of speech and drama, london. Behn, aphra 16401689 restoration dramatist, novelist, and poet. The protagonist, the charming but irresponsible willmore, may have been modeled on john wilmot rochester, a poet in. A cavalier meets his match among strong women in loveday ingrams carnivalesque production of aphra behns 17thcentury comedy. Restoration comedy aphra behns the rover falls in the genre of restoration comedy popular from around 1660 to 1700. Teaching aphra behns the rover in an undergraduate survey course is complicated. Aphra behn s the rover falls in the genre of restoration comedy popular from around 1660 to 1700.
Most significantly, a close reading and explication of the rover with regard to the word choice, rhetorical function, imagery, symbolism, syntax, and figurative aspects of the play are essential in appreciating the great work by aphra behn and this paper intends to undertake a reflective analysis of these elements in the play. Director eamon flack, dramaturg charlotte bradley and actors taylor ferguson, elizabeth nabben, toby schmitz and nikki shiels share their thoughts on aphra behns 1677 battle of the sexes, and what this classic holds for a modern audience. The rover played in the swan theatre in a fusion of sights and sounds, whirling music, cultural tension, dubious romance and dilapidated beauty. The use of the fantasy genre in behn s the rover and mores utopia. The rover, published and first performed in 1677, is aphra behns bestknown and most popular play. The rover, published and first produced in 1677, was aphra behns most successful play.
Southend shakespeare company summer production 2019 aphra behn s the rover. Not that money wasnt a necessary consideration for aphra behn. Uk england greater london city of westminster west end west end w1k 5. Loveday ingram directed this masterpiece of restoration comedy. A later biography of behn behn was janet todds 1996 book, entitled the secret life of aphra behn. May 02, 2010 the play, in pictures, all in 4 minutes.
As you like it by william shakespeare directed by garland wright. The rover is a seventeenthcentury play by aphra behn, the english languages first professional female writer. This was in 1666, six years after the severe republic of oliver cromwell had given way to the restoration of charles ii. While their father is away, they are under the watchful eye of their brother, don pedro. Aphra behns the rover is a very early piece of feminist drama, written in 1670. The rover or the banishd cavaliers is a play in two parts that is written by the english author aphra behn. A rewriting of a similar play, thomaso, or the wanderer written thirteen years earlier, it focuses on the adventures of a group of englishmen who have traveled to naples to celebrate carnival. Devoting enough time to historicizing the political and cultural shifts along with the changes in dramatic productions following the restoration, while also spending enough time analyzing the text, is a. Production photos the rover royal shakespeare company. Marriage and gender in behns the rover and haywoods love. Aphra behn was a restorationera playwright and former spy for charles i, and her play the rover was a wildly successful comedy about banished cavaliers in naples during carnivale at the time of. The rover 1677 and the second part of the rover 1681, both drawn from killigrews thomaso, or the wanderer1663, are behns only plays to label a character a courtesan. Aphra behn painted by mary bealepublic domain, via wikimedia commonsa brief history of the restoration theatre in 1642 parliament gave its first ruling against stage plays, which effectively suspended theatrical activity in england during the civil war and interregnum. Feb 08, 2016 this lecture talks about aphra behn the rover.
These were interesting times, just before the outbreak of civil war in 1642 between the royalist cavaliers. Belvile, who at a siege at pampluna has rescued a certain florinda and her brother don pedro, now loves the lady, and the tender feeling is reciprocated. During puritan rule of england, the theater was banned as immoral for 18 years. Lost in a maze of masquerade and revelry, a ratbaggy gang of exiled cavaliers plunge into the steamy depths of naples at carnival time. The first part features multiple plot lines, dealing with the amorous adventures of a group of englishmen in naples at carnival time. Marriage and gender in behns the rover and haywoods love in. About the play our 2016 carnival production of the rover by englands first female professional playwright, aphra behn. When charles ii 163085 returned to the english throne in 1660, he encouraged his court entertainment to move radically in the opposite direction. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the play the rover by aphra behn. There have been carnival celebrations since the first century ce at the advent of lent, an annual period of forty days when christians of all denominations fast or otherwise. Apr 12, 2020 aphra behn, english dramatist, fiction writer, and poet who was the first englishwoman known to earn her living by writing.
The ladylike florinda is in love with the noble but impoverished british cavalier belvile while witty hellena is supposed to become a nun, but longs for love. Naked shakespeare in the park returns with aphra behns the rover. The use of the fantasy genre in behns the rover and mores utopia. Aphra behn was englands first female professional playwright and a strong voice in early feminism. Rochester, the most notorious rake of charles iis court, serves as the model for willmore a play on rochesters surname, wilmot, but the text takes a revisionary view of what it might mean to be a rake or, indeed, the female object of a rakes desire. An extraordinarily popular example of restoration comedy, the play earned an extended run, enabling behn to make a fair income from it, receiving the proceeds from the box office every third night. Aug 06, 2017 the classic 1677 battle of the sexes, by the first professional woman playwright, aphra behn. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on aphra behn s the rover. I wrote a new adaptation of the rover and directed it for the chance theater in anaheim. It is unclear where exactly aphra behn was born, or even what her maiden name was. In the original 1677 production, anne marshall played angellica bianca and elizabeth barry was hellena. It is not entirely worthless from a purely technical point of view, but yet very modest and mediocre.
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