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Overview
Synopsis
Mr. Horner is the most renowned Ladies Man in town and has ruined his chances of getting close to any more women. He couldn’t possibly give up on his desires, so he decides to get a doctor to spread the rumor in town that he has become a Eunuch and is no longer a threat to men’s wives. The Doctor is sure that this scheme will backfire, but Horner’s plan works and he begins to get access to the wives of the wealthy men in town. A man named Pinchwife, however, who was recently married to a woman from the country, hasn’t heard the rumors of Horner’s impotency and becomes so paranoid and jealous that he keeps his new country wife locked away at home. This jealousy backfires and eventually leads his wife right into the arms of the man he’s scared of: Mr. Horner. Through a series of miscommunications, lies, disguises and more, we watch men filled with jealousy, men duping other men, men oblivious to infidelity, and women just looking for attention while preserving their reputations. It turns out that pleasure isn’t as easy to come by as it seems.
Show Information
- Book
- William Wycherley
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1675
- Genres
- Comedy
- Time & Place
- London, 17th Century
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Elderly, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
William Wycherley’s The Country Wife is a Restoration Comedy written in 1675. The literature in the Restoration Period was very eclectic and tolerant, often commenting on society and class structure while focusing on the life of the aristocracy. The Country Wife does all of these things well, but was extremely controversial even for it’s time. The play is very explicit and chock-full of sexual innuendos and puns making it too outrageous to be on the stage from 1753-1924. During those years,
to read the context for The Country Wife and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prologue - The actor playing Mr. Horner delivers a prologue apologizing to the audience for any offence that the play may bring. He relates to the audience saying that poets (or playwrights) often write things that offend spectators, but that the actors will do their best to make them feel comfortable.
Act One - Horner is speaking to a doctor named Quack and asking him if he has successfully spread the rumor that Horner is a eunuch. The Doctor has told every gossip in town this false news,
to read the plot for The Country Wife and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
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Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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