images by Nate Stewart
Last week, Covenant’s Theatre department made its return to live performances with the delightful romantic comedy She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith. Two of our seniors led the show for their capstones; Cara Smole (’22) as the director, and Emily Cothran (‘22) as the leading lady, Kate Hardcastle. Smole stepped in at the last minute to fill in for an actor who had to drop out of the show. Unsurprisingly, she took up the challenge and did an amazing job. Students, family, faculty, and community members who gathered at The Overlook were charmed by the comedy of the show and the talent of the cast.
Cara chose this show for two main reasons: her interest in the character Marlow, played by Ray Lantrip (‘23), and her desire to have Emily play Kate. Marlow is presented as a man with two personalities — in front of modest, high-class women, he is a stuttering mess, unable to make eye contact. On the other hand, he is an impudent rogue towards women of lower standing. Due to a mischievous prank played by Kate’s brother, Tony Lumpkin, played by Jon Schimpf, (‘23) he mistakes the Harcastle’s house for an inn.
Kate’s father, Mr. Hardcastle, played by Jackson Murray, (‘23) is under the impression that Marlow is visiting to court his daughter, sent by his old friend Sir Charles Marlow, played by Micah Cochran (‘24). Along with his friend George Hastings, played by Jonathan Hazen, (‘25), Marlow treats his guest as he would any common innkeeper, which Mr. Hardcastle perceives as greatly offensive impudence.
Smole calls this play a “comedy of forgiveness.” The humor is entertaining and lighthearted, but the forgiveness of errors that lies underneath gives this show a lot of charm. Cothran explained that Kate sees Marlow and knows there has to be more to him than meets the eye.
“Kate teaches us to not take things at face value. She pursues Marlow because she loves the person that she knows he can be. Her unending faith in him is something I find inspiring and sweet. She reminds me to pursue my dreams and go after what I want even if the path to get there may require me to stoop to conquer my goals,” Cothran said.
When informed by her maid Penelope, played by Kaity Shelley (‘22) that young Marlow has confused her for a barmaid, Kate is quick to devise a scheme to use this mistake to her advantage. She outlines a plan, explaining to the maid the three tests she will give him.
With their first meeting, she says, “I shall be seen, and that is no small advantage to a girl who brings her face to market.”
Since Marlow refuses to make eye contact with Kate, a modest woman, she stoops to a lower level to get his attention. Unsurprisingly, it works and he is smitten by her beauty, making bold, flirtatious advances to charm her. She has now seen Marlow’s two sides and is ready to find out his true character.
Their next meeting is an attempt towards friendship, Kate explaining that “I shall perhaps make an acquaintance, and that’s no small victory gained over one who never addresses any but the wildest of her sex.”
Marlow has partially uncovered his mistake, still fooled into thinking Kate is just a poor relation of the family. He shows his merit by refusing to dishonor her, vowing to leave despite how he feels for her. Kate sees him for who he really is and begins to fall in love, knowing that he is a good man. Unwilling to let him leave, Kate promises to “preserve the character in which (she) stooped to conquer.”
For her final test, to be certain that Marlow can become the man she thinks he can be, Kate’s goal is to “take my gentleman off his guard, and, like an invisible champion of romance, examine the giant’s force before I offer to combat.”
As Marlow comes to say his final farewell to Kate, still unaware of her true identity, he is observed by his father Sir Charles and Mr. Hardcastle. Kate has promised both fathers to show them that Marlow is in love with her and worthy of being her match. She pretends to agree that he cannot stay for her, which compels him to remain and convince his father she is worthy of being his wife, despite their class differences. He proposes, offering her security.
The two fathers burst out from their hiding place and all truth is revealed. Kate teases Marlow for his hypocrisy but is willing, alongside her father, to forgive him. Mr. Hardcastle gives him valuable instructions for going forward, “As you have been mistaken in the mistress, my wish is, that you may never be mistaken in the wife.”
Intertwined with Kate and Marlow’s story is another young woman stooping to conquer. Kate’s cousin, Miss Constance Neville (Martha Grace Curtis, ‘24) is in love with Hastings and wishes to run off with him. Due to her father’s death, she is under the care of Mrs. Hardcastle, who also has control of her fortune. Mrs. Hardcastle, played by Smole, is determined to have Constance marry Tony, her son from her first marriage, to keep the fortune in the family.
Tony, who despises his cousin with comical intensity, vows to assist Hastings and Neville to get away with her jewels. When their plan falls short, Neville returns to the Hardcastle’s to plead with them to be fair to her. She stooped to her aunt’s wishes to conquer the social disadvantages she is subject to. Mr. Hardcastle comes to her aid, allowing Tony to officially refuse her so that she and Hastings can be happy and in control of her fortune.
In her study and research for this show, Smole realized how funny it was for its original audience in 1773, the cultural references were witty and relatable to the times. She wanted her audience to have the same experience, so with careful workshopping, the cast was able to replace the references of 1773 with modern-day equivalents. For example, Hyder Ally, Ally Cawn, and Ally Croker became Joe Biden, Joseph Stalin, and J-Lo; Bully Dawson became Kayne West; Cherry in the Beaux Stratagem became Keira Knightley in the Pirates of The Caribbean.
While preserving original meaning, Smole made the play more relatable for her audience. Furthermore, the costumes were also modern. Kate’s beautiful dress was handmade by costume wizard Courtney McKenzie, with pink flowers and a shade of blue that would not have passed in the 18th century. The boys wore Converse shoes with brightly colored clothes. Only the old-fashioned fathers wore the proper wigs and clothing that was fitting for men of their circumstances. Suffice to say, the show was a great success and a crowd favorite.