Explore this Show
Overview
Synopsis
At once a satire of Americans and the English, W. Somerset Maugham’s Our Betters is a witty period piece with rich comedic female roles. Pearl has come to England from America to marry a lord and join the upper ranks of London society. Her younger sister, Bessie, an innocent heiress, has come to London to spend time with her, but Pearl is more interested in seeing that Bessie is married off to the bland Lord Bleane. The arrival of Bessie’s old fiance, Fleming, makes things even more complicated. Rounding out the cast is a colorful group of Americans, all desperately clinging to their artificial identities as elite members of London’s upper class: the snobbish Thornton Clay, the womanizing Tony Paxton, and the clownishly opulent Minnie. Our Betters is pure comedy of manners, full of verbal barbs delivered with a smile and piercing satire of the upper class.
Show Information
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1917
- Genres
- Comedy, Satire
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Lady George Grayston’s house and her husband’s house., England.
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Community Theatre, College/University, Ensemble Cast, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
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
A type of comedy, popular in the English Restoration, that made fun of social norms and mores.
A piece of literature that is set in a specific time period
Videos
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Kevan Dunkelberg
Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright