The Village Coquettes: An Operatic Burletta in Two Acts (hosted by John)

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

However, it is not "only" a farce, but in fact it is quite good as a satire on town and country attitudes. As you might remember if you were in for our group read of Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens was in the middle of writing that - his first serial novel - which he did not know at the time would be a novel at all!

Yet in both we see plenty of social observation. In The Village Coquettes: An Operatic Burletta In Two Acts, the squire and his friend - both experienced city gentlemen - have only entered the squire's country seat with the sole purpose of seducing the comely wenches they find there. They view this as their right, by virtue of their being members of the wealthy ruling class.

But who ends up having our respect? It is not those two!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Another satirical element is the type of production this was. Connie explained the history in her thread. Plays of this type, produced privately (and often self-financed) were deemed by the Lord Chamberlain to be "illegitimate theatre" and considered unsophisticated, vulgar and lower class. It was due to the the young Queen Victoria championing their case that they became allowed. She came to the throne during the serialisation of Oliver Twist, and could see that such venues were great opportunities for developing young talent - like that of Charles Dickens! And his audience of clerks, apprentices and young newly weds loved it.

So when Squire Norton (who is one of the moral offenders) says:

"My very particular friend Mr. Norton wishes me to ask my other particular friends here, whether there's - anything wrong? We are delighted to hear your approving opinion in the old way. You can't do better."

and then there is a finale of dance and song, this is not just within the burletta. The author - whom we know is Charles Dickens - is issuing a direct challenge to those those who rule on "decent" theatre, and appealing for the right to perform popular burlesques too: i.e. what the public want: "illegitimate theatre".

We, the audience, are his "other particular friends". So to answer Squire Norton, no I don't see "anything wrong" here. On the contrary, I was amused and entertained 😊.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

So I do seem to be out of step with the majority, and enjoyed it quite a lot, both as a great English farce from the time, and also quite revealing about the position and potential of Charles Dickens as a writer, and the state of English theatre, ("major" and "minor") which was just beginning to have a bit of a shake-up!

Just a note about the staging; I'm not sure why this was confusing really. There was an inn, a farm and a country seat. Nothing too difficult to stage 😊

Sorry I'm a bit ahead - I did have to finish this because of other reads. But thank you very much John, for your research and leading this one! I think it's beneficial for any Dickensian to read such a very early work, and as I say, I for one like it and smiled quite a lot as I was reading 😊 I would have loved to be in the audience. I really enjoyed all the knowing asides, and can see that this stems from the 18th century fiction which Charles Dickens loved so much.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

"The Village Coquette" - George Lance

An oil painting from a little later: 1843

Here's wiki on the artist https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...

[John]

Thanks Jean. I enjoyed reading the points you made. I think I will revisit this work in the near future. It does seem as a satire to be quite good, now that I think about in those terms. Sometimes a second reading does wonders.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

I think so too! It took me a while to get into the right mindset for these early plays 😊

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

John, (and everyone) I've just added the playbill for this as the header for our thread.

Thank so much for leading this historically important play, and to everyone for joining in! 😊

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Leaving this current for a couple of days so thar people can read the summing up comments (and look at the pictures!)

Then it will be added to our "Dramatic Dickens" folder for future readers to enjoy.

Also, don't forget Claudia has made a great start in our new read of Mary Barton - an immensely moving novel.