Topsy-turvy delight

By Gwendolyn Rice, The Isthmus

Irish playwright Oliver Goldsmith wrote She Stoops to Conquer during a topsy-turvy era, around the time England was getting its comeuppance from the rebellious American colonies. This 18th century comedy of mistaken identity, practical jokes and unlikely pairs receives a boisterous, playful production outdoors at American Players Theatre, directed with a delightful eye for the absurd by Laura Gordon. 

The first character we meet, the drunken youth Tony Lumpkin (a pitch-perfect Josh Krause), comes barreling down the stairs from the back of the house even before the pre-show announcements have finished advising everyone to keep the aisles clear for just such an occasion. On his way home from another raucous night at the Three Pigeons Pub, Lumpkin is dedicated to pursuing his own entertainment — drinking, subverting the will of his controlling mother (a fantastic Sarah Day), fronting a band that appears each time he sets out on an adventure, and playing practical jokes on unsuspecting gentlemen. Krause, now in his third season at APT, truly shines in this irreverent role — a bad boy rockstar in his imagination and a fairly harmless prankster who isn’t bothered by his lack of ambition or direction in real life.

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