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 "Ralph Roister Doister. From a sketch by Holbein in Erasmus's Moriae Encomium." Illustration to English Plays, by Henry Morley, Cassell's Library of English Literature, 1891. | |
| Written by | Nicholas Udall |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | London |
Ralph Roister Doister is a comic play by Nicholas Udall, generally regarded as the first comedy to be written in the English language.
The date of its composition is disputed, but the balance of opinion suggests that it was written in about 1552, when Udall was a schoolmaster in London, and some theorize the play was intended for public performance by his pupils - who were all male, as were all actors at that period. However, the work was not published until 1567, eleven years after its author's death.
Sources
Roister Doister seems to have been inspired by the works of Plautus and Terence. The titular character is a variation on the "Braggart Soldier" archetype, but with the innovation of a parasitic tempter which stems from the morality play tradition. By combining the structures, conventions and styles of the ancient Greek and Roman comedies with English theatre traditions and social archetypes (especially the new and burgeoning English middle classes), Udall was able to establish a new form of specifically English comedy, leading directly through to Shakespeare and beyond. In essence, the play blends the stock plot elements and archetypes of the ancient Greek and Roman theatre, with those of medieval chivalric literature, and of the English medieval theatre.
Plot
The play is written in five acts. The plot of the play centres on a rich widow, Christian Custance, who is betrothed to Gawyn Goodluck, a merchant. Ralph Roister Doister is encouraged throughout by a con-man trickster figure (Matthew Merrygreeke) to woo Christian Custance, but his pompous attempts do not succeed. Ralph then tries with his friends and servants (and Merrygreek's behest) to break in and take Christian Custance by force, but they are defeated by her maids and run away. The merchant Gawyn arrives shortly after and the play concludes happily with reconciliation, a prayer and a song.
Performance History
A generally accepted theory is that the play was first written for public performance by boys at the London school where Udall was master, though no recorded historical afterlife for the play in performance exists. Though amateur and student groups have presented readings and edited stagings sporadically throughout the 20th century (specifically a 1953 presentation by Oxford University students at the Edinburgh festival), and three heavily edited adaptations of the play appeared in the 1930's, 1960's and 1980's, respectively, the play did not have a full professional revival until 2015, when Brice Stratford directed an uncut production under original performance conditions for the Owle Schreame theatre company, also playing the title character.
References
- Angela O'Brien, RALPH ROISTER DOISTER: the first regular English comedy (2004)
- James Hinton The Source of Ralph Roister Doister Modern Philology, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Oct., 1913), pp. 273-278
- William Chislett, Jr. The Sources of Ralph Roister Doister Modern Language Notes, Vol. 29, No. 6 (Jun., 1914), pp. 166-167
- A. W. Plumstead Satirical Parody in "Roister Doister": A Reinterpretation Studies in Philology, Vol. 60, No. 2, Part 1 (Apr., 1963), pp. 141-154
- Norland, Howard B. (1995) Drama in Early Tudor Britain 1485-1558, Lincoln & London, University of Nebraska Press
- Anthony Hartley, Performing Arts The Spectator, 1954, 3 September, Page 10
- Theatricalia: Ralph Roister Doister
- Matthew Partridge, Review: Ralph Roister Doister **** Remotegoat, 25th February, 2015.