Jane (1890 farce)

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Jane is an 1890 farce written by William Lestocq and Harry Nicholls. It premiered at the Comedy Theatre in London in 1890. [1]

Contents

Plot

1908 photograph of The Sock and Buskin players in Jane Screenshot 2025-02-11 at 6.26.07 PM.png
1908 photograph of The Sock and Buskin players in Jane

William Tipson, a servant, wants to settle down with his fellow servant and wife, Jane, but the pair do not yet have the means to do so; they must work one more day for their employer, Charley Shackleton, in order to gain enough money to support themselves with a store. Meanwhile, Shackleton has continually squandered the money he has received from his trustee, Mr. Kershaw. Consequently, Mr. Kershaw decided to stop supporting Charley- until he responded to Mr. Kershaw's letter with the excuse that it is not he who is a spendthrift; it is his wife, who will not listen to reason. Mr. Kershaw has now decided to visit Shackleton and talk to his wife. Unfortunately, Shackleton does not have a wife; this is why he plans to have Jane disguise herself in that role. Jane agrees to go along with the plan, as she and William need the money. [2]

Mr. Kershaw visits Shackleton's home, and Jane pretends to be Shackleton's spoiled, pompous wife. In the meantime, the Pixons decide to temporarily deposit their baby in the care of Jane and William. As Jane is pretending that the baby belongs to her and Shackleton, Mrs. Pixon enters and, convinced that Jane is trying to kidnap her child, demands that Jane give him back to her. Mr. Kershaw demands an answer to the chaos that he is witnessing, and Jane and Shackleton reveal the truth. Mr. Kershaw decides to forgive Shackleton, and all is well. [2]

Notable performances

In 1892, the play was performed at Macauley's Theatre, Louisville, Kentucky, with Elaine Ellison as Jane. [3]

In 1894, the play was performed by Frohman's Company No. 13 at the Lansing Theatre, Lincoln, Nebraska. [4]

In 1908, the all male Sock and Buskin players performed the play at Providence Opera House in Providence, Rhode Island. [5]

In 1922, The play was performed at the Williston Theatre, Northampton, Massachusetts. [6]

The Toc H organisation toured the play in 1926/7. It opened in November at St John's Hall, Lambeth, with the run finishing in June 1927 at Park Theatre, Hanwell. [7]

Adaptations

In 1915, the play was adapted into a film of the same name, starring Charlotte Greenwood as Jane, Sydney Grant as William Tipson, and Forrest Stanley as Shackleton. [8]

References

  1. ↑ French, Samuel (1922). French's Acting Edition of Plays, Dramas, Extravaganzas, Farces ... Samuel French Limited.
  2. 1 2 Nicholls, Harry; Lestocq, William (1900). Jane: A Farce in Three Acts. S. French.
  3. ↑ Platz, Max. "Miss Ellison". digital.library.louisville.edu. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  4. ↑ "Music and drama". Nebraska State Journal. 14 November 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-02-07– via Willa Cather Archive.
  5. ↑ "Brown Digital Repository | Item | bdr:61520". repository.library.brown.edu. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  6. ↑ "The Williston Theater Turns 100 - From the Archives". 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  7. ↑ Smith, Steve (13 July 2024). "Toc H Entertainments Part 1 – The Toc H Drama League". One Hundred Years of Toc H.
  8. ↑ Lloyd, Frank (1915-12-06), Jane (Comedy), Charlotte Greenwood, Sydney Grant, Myrtle Stedman, Oliver Morosco Photoplay Company , retrieved 2025-02-07

Bibliography

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