What a comic treat: The Game of Love and Chance at the Arcola reviewed

Lady Sylvia is a gorgeous aristocrat whose hand is sought by the charming Dorante whom she has never met. To avoid the stiff formalities of courtship, Lady Sylvia swaps places with her maid and observes Dorante from the safety of pretended servitude. But instead of falling for Dorante, she becomes enamoured of his manservant. However, there’s another wrinkle coming in Marivaux’s classic comedy. Deronte’s manservant, unbeknown to Lady Sylvia, is actually Dorante himself, who has pulled an identical switcheroo with his valet. The story is so hopelessly contrived that its sheer artificiality becomes part of the joke.

This production of The Game of Love and Chance, directed by Jack Gamble, captures the fun-loving spirit of the original. With a sympathetic and delicate eye, it mocks the self-deluded posturings of young lovers as they engage in the art of seduction. What a treat to sit in a theatre and watch a troupe of actors who simply want to make everyone laugh.