The Double Dealer

Summary

1980 Granada Television presentation for ITV of the National Theatre’s stage production of The Double Dealer by William Congreve.

Theatre play

The Double Dealer by William Congreve [more information]

Play synopsis

17th-century comedy of sexual manners. ‘This comedy sees character Mellefont, nephew and prospective heir of Lord Touchwood, about to marry Cynthia, daughter of Sir Paul Plyant. Lady Touchwood, a violent and dissolute woman, is in love with Mellefont, but as he rejects her advances, determines to prevent the match and ruin him in Lord Touchwood’s esteem. In this design she finds a confederate in Maskwell, the Double Dealer, who has been her lover, pretends to be Mellefont’s friend, and aspires to cheat him of Cynthia and get her for himself. To this end he leads Plyant to suspect an intrigue between Mellefont and Lady Plyant, and Touchwood an intrigue between Mellefont and Lady Touchwood; and contrives that Touchwood shall find Mellefont in the latter’s chamber. Mellefont is disinherited and Cynthia is to be made over to Maskwell. The latter’s plot, however, here goes wrong. Lord Touchwood informs Lady Touchwood of Maskwell’s intention to marry Cynthia. This awakens her jealousy. She finds Maskwell and rebukes him, and is overheard by Lord Touchwood, who now perceives Maskwell’s treachery, and defeats his final attempt to carry off Cynthia’ (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Double_Dealer).

Production history

First staged in 1693.

Date of transmission

Sunday 12 October 1980

Time

10.00-12.00pm

Channel

ITV

Production company

Granada Television (1956-)

Theatre company

National Theatre, London

Credits

Director

Peter Wood

Producer

Roy Roberts

Playwright

William Congreve

Composer

Harrison Birtwistle (1934-) (title music)

Designer

Stephen Fineren

Executive Producer

Michael Cox

Cast

Brenda Blethyn	Lady Froth
Judi Bowker	Cynthia
Michael Bryant	Sir Paul Plyant
Dermot Crowley	Careless
Roland Culver	Saygrace
Maurice Denham	Lord Touchwood
John Harding	Mellefont
Kevin Healey	Musician
Nicky Henson	Brisk
Sara Kestelman	Lady Touchwood
Robert Lang	Lord Froth
Michael Lee-Osborn	Tim
Robert Stephens	Maskwell
Dorothy Tutin	Lady Plyant

Additional details

Play tags

17th-century setting; comedy; Restoration drama

Print sources

Title

TV Times, 9 October 1980 (Magazine)

Linking notes

two-page illustrated article, pp. 13-14; listing, p. 45