Francis Beaumont - The Knight of the Burning Pestle

Francis Beaumont - The Knight of the Burning Pestle book summary

The Knight of the Burning Pestle is a play in five acts, first performed in 1607. It is the first whole parody (or pastiche) play in English. The play is a satire on chivalric romances in general, similar to Don Quixote. It breaks the fourth wall from its outset. As a play called "The London Merchant" is about to be performed, a Citizen and his Wife "in the audience" interrupt and demand that the players put on a play of their own choosing and suggest that their apprentice, Rafe, should have a part in the play as a knight errant. He refers to himself as the "Grocer Errant" and has a burning pestle on his shield as a heraldic device. This meta-fictional plot is intercut with the main plot of the interrupted play, where Jasper Merrythought, the merchant's apprentice, is in love with his master's daughter, Luce, and must elope with her to save her from the arranged marriage with Humphrey, a "swell" or City man of fashion. Meanwhile Jasper's mother has decided to leave her husband Old Merrythought, who, in an apparent mid-life crisis, has spent all his savings in drinking and partying. Summary by Wikipedia and Rob Board

Cast
Narrator: Kristin Gjerløw
Citizen: Phil Birss
Wife: Jo Vickers
Rafe / Michael: Rob Board
Boy: ScarlettG
Venturewell: John Burlinson
Luce: Charlotte Duckett
Humphrey: Hamlet
Merrythought: ToddHW
Mistress Merrythought: Sonia
Jasper: davidpr
Tim: Dillon McFarlane
George: Michele Eaton
Speaker of Prologue / William Hammerton: alanmapstone
Tapster / 2nd Soldier: Leanne Yau
Host: Anna Simon
Man / 2nd Man / 3rd Man: TomDavisBeal
Barber / Sergeant: Joseph Tabler
Woman / 1st Soldier: MaryAnn
Pompiona: Newgatenovelist
Servant: Georgina Shaw
George Greengoose: David Purdy
Edited by: Rob Board

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