A review by waniasajid
A Bold Stroke for a Wife by Susanna Centlivre

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

 A quick read, and delightfully entertaining. I would love to see a production of this live, especially due to the importance of costuming and disguise for the plot. While an effective satire, it did at times feel a little too formulaic, with the four guardians amounting to little more than extreme archetypes. The characters are quite flat and there is so much comedic potential missed out on. While not very prominent (despite being the central driving force of the play), Anne Lovely is the most interesting character for me. She is incredibly sure of herself and snarky, making her every opinion known and playing along wonderfully with the Colonel's plan. Despite her great characterisation, she is essentially a trophy to be protected/won by the men of the play, and I find it poignant that the "rescue" of Anne amounts to transferring ownership of her from the guardians to the Colonel.