‘The Country Wife’ to be presented by CSB/SJU Theater Department over two weekends

Comedy — and the topics it covers — hasn't changed much in 340 years. Sex was a hot topic then, and remains a topic of interest today.

Take the play "The Country Wife." It made its debut 340 years ago in London, and what made the production so funny was that while many of the characters playwright William Wycherley created are trying to have sex, no one wants anyone else to know about it.

Flash forward four centuries. The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Theater Department is mounting this ribald comedy at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12-14, 2 p.m. Nov. 15 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-21 at the Gorecki Theater in the Benedicta Arts Center on the CSB campus.

Tickets for the play are $10 for adults and $7 for students. To reserve tickets, contact the CSB Fine Arts Programming Box Office at 320-363-5777.

Although the play is about sex, the script hints a great deal. There is no flesh exposed and no actual "dirty" words expressed, according to director Kaarin Johnston, professor of theater at CSB and SJU. The play does contain innuendo and fun flirting.

The basic story revolves around charming Mr. Horner (played by SJU sophomore George Dornbach), who is so well known as a seducer that no men will let him near their wives, daughters or sisters. In order to gain access to the women, Horner spreads a story that he has become impotent, a story backed up by his friend the doctor (SJU sophomore Joshua Pestana Mata). Once the news about his "inability" to function is accepted, Horner has new unparalleled access to almost every woman he desires.

However, a possessively jealous gentleman from the country (SJU sophomore Jared Sowers) has brought his new, young, naïve and lovely wife, Margery (CSB first-year Danica Simonet) to London and Horner catches a glimpse of her. The two different plots quickly become intertwined when young Margery writes a letter to Horner and pretends it is from her sister-in-law (CSB sophomore Sophia Pellizzer).

Although the play is well-known for its sexual innuendos and lascivious characters, the playwright had a serious purpose in mind when he wrote the play. Almost every character in the play lies in order to achieve what he or she desires and almost every character seems to find this sort of behavior a normal part of society.

One character, Sir Fidget (SJU junior Jake Cunningham), moves through the collection of cunning characters with a simplicity that is close to true innocence. He is the one who is most duped and yet, appears to be the most happy.

The costumes, scenery and technical creations are all the work of CSB and SJU students. The faculty and staff designers create the original images and then students paint, sew, sculpt and construct everything the audience will see in this production, which tries to capture the feeling of the 17th century theater for a 21st century audience.