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''Charity'' is a drama in four acts by W. S. Gilbert that explores the issue of a woman who had lived with a man as his wife without ever having married. The play analyses and critiques the double standard in the Victorian era concerning the treatment of men and women who had sex outside of marriage, anticipating the "problem plays" of Shaw and Ibsen.〔Crowther, Andrew, (Synopsis of ''Charity'' )〕 It opened on 3 January 1874 at the Haymarket Theatre in London, where Gilbert had previously presented his 'fairy comedies' ''The Palace of Truth'', ''Pygmalion and Galatea'', and ''The Wicked World''. ''Charity'' ran for about 61 performances, closing on 14 March 1874, and received tours and revivals thereafter. Gilbert created several plays for the Haymarket Theatre, managed by John Baldwin Buckstone and starring William Hunter Kendal and his wife, Madge Robertson Kendal, sister of the playwright Thomas William Robertson, in the early 1870s. In ''Charity'', Gilbert wanted to use what he perceived as Mrs. Kendal's capabilities as a tragedienne, and, after abandoning his original plan of a vindictive villainess, he composed one of his most powerful women's roles for her in this play.〔Stedman, p 114〕 1874 was a particularly busy year for Gilbert. He illustrated ''The Piccadilly Annual''; supervised a revival of ''Pygmalion and Galatea''; and wrote ''Charity''; ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern'', a parody of ''Hamlet''; a dramatisation of ''Ought We to Visit Her?'' (a novel by Annie Edwardes), an adaptation from the French, ''Committed for Trial'', another adaptation from the French called ''The Blue-Legged Lady'', a play, ''Sweethearts'', and ''Topsyturveydom'', a comic opera. He also wrote a Bab-illustrated story called "The Story of a Twelfth Cake" for the ''Graphic'' Christmas number. ==Roles== * Dr. Athelney, a Colonial Bishop-elect – William Henry Chippendale * Ted Athelney, his son (aged 38) – H. R.Teesdale * Mr. Jonas Smailey, a country gentleman (aged 60) – H. Howe * Fred Smailey, his son (aged 22) – William Hunter Kendal * Mr. Fitz-Partington, a Private Inquiry Officer – John Baldwin Buckstone * Mrs. Van Brugh, a widow (aged 35) – Madge Robertson * Eve, her daughter (aged 17) – Amy Roselle * Ruth Tredgett, a tramp (aged 37) – Miss Woolgar (Sarah Woolgar?) * A butler, a groom, a footman, and other servants. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Charity (play)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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