The Rover is set in the grandiose setting of New College gardens. As you enter the park you will instantly be surrounded by a carnival of beautiful roses, wisterias and daffodils – all there to welcome you to the world of The Rover. The play was written by author Aphra Behn, a dramatist born in 1640, famous for being the first professional female writer in England. Virginia Woolf said of her: ‘All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the grave of Aphra Behn… for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds.’
And her reputation is well-founded as the audience hears one of the actresses expounding on the subject of women’s rights within the play. The Rover follows the adventures of a group of English cavaliers; Belvile, Wilmore, Frederick and their female counterparts, sisters Florinda and Hellena. The plot centres on Florinda and Hellena’s decision to escape their brother’s wedding plans and come to Naples to experience real love.
Jack Powell, who plays Willmore the titular rover, is convincing as the dandy in the pursuit of pleasure. He has a great foil in Hellena, played by Eleanor Hardy, who deserves a mention for bringing such great energy to the stage. Of course, playing in an open stage entails some difficulties, the actors’ voices might not be heard equally well in the back rows, and the wonderful open space could arguably be used for more action. Nonetheless, the orchestra delights the audience with some well-chosen music and the large group of actors brings energy and thrust to what is quite a lengthy play.
So if you love all the ingredients that make a story entertaining; love, miss matches, sword fights, weddings – The Rover is your kind of play. And what better way to spend a quiet summer evening then witnessing the unravelling of love and desire? Just make sure you bring a scarf with you: the beauties of a Neapolitan carnival won’t protect you from the chills of an English evening.
