A true rags-to-riches story, Nell Gwynn is being given her moment in the sun on the Oxford Playhouse stage thanks to Oxford Theatre Guild.
King Charles II’s notorious mistress, once an impoverished orange seller and then comic actress, caught the eye of the King during the Restoration, and was his mistress until he died.
‘It’s an amazing story about an amazing woman and I was really drawn to that’
Her story was taken up by playwright Jessica Swale, and premiered in 2015 at Shakespeare’s Globe. But now it’s OTG’s turn to celebrate Nell’s wit and charm.
OTG Director Cate Nunn saw Jessica Swale‘s play and never forgot it, determined to bring the new drama to Oxford herself.
‘There was no fairy godmother in Nell Gwynn’s story. Her rise through the English court was achieved through her own wit and charm’
“It was just so good to watch – the best two hours in the theatre – so it’s been there in my brain ever since and after the past couple of years I really felt that this was the show we needed to put on – something warm and full of joy,” she adds.
“It’s an amazing story about an amazing woman and I was really drawn to that,” Cate continues.
‘Nell is a really interesting central character – humorous, warm, funny, bawdy and emotional’
“There was no fairy godmother involved in Nell Gwynn’s story. Her rise to the centre of the English court was achieved through her own wit and charm.
“So Nell is a really interesting central character – humorous, warm, funny, bawdy and emotional. Charles II loved her right until the end of her life and on his death bed uttered the immortal lines ‘Let not poor Nelly starve,’ so it was true love,” Cate adds.
‘come along with an open mind and you’ll have a great time’
Was that hard to translate onto the Oxford stage?” “Some of the play is is set in a Restoration theatre so while it’s not a musical, it does involve song and dance within a theatrical context, with a live band. And having music throughout makes it even more special,” Cate adds.
In terms of the cast, Cate said: “We had a stonking turnout to auditions and it’s this diverse influx of people that keeps the company really strong.
Layla Katib will be playing Nell and cate is delighted with her casting “She has just embraced the part. She is strong, charming and has that sparkle we were looking for, bringing real emotional truth to the role while handling the comedic angle as well.
“So the production is finding its own shape and creating something really unique and upbeat.
We are really looking forward to bringing this story to Oxford and celebrating Nell. It’s going to be a fantastic show. So come along with an open mind and you’ll have a great time.”
Nell Gwynn comes to Oxford Playhouse on March 21-25. Book at https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/nell-gwynn
