''Caste'' is a comedy drama by

Thomas William Robertson Thomas William Robertson (9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) was an English dramatist and stage director. Born to a theatrical family, Robertson began as an actor, but he was not a success and gave up acting in his late 20s. After earning a m ...

, first seen in 1867. The play was the third of several successes by Robertson produced in London's

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

by Squire Bancroft and his wife

Marie Wilton Marie Effie Wilton, Lady Bancroft (1839–1921) was an English actress and theatre manager. She appeared onstage as Marie Wilton until after her marriage in December 1867 to Squire Bancroft, when she adopted his last name. Bancroft and her hus ...

. As its name suggests, ''Caste'' concerns distinctions of class and rank. The son of a French nobleman marries a ballet dancer and then goes to war. When word arrives that he has been killed in action, his mother tries to wrest the child from his penniless widow.

History and early productions

''Caste'' is based on the short story "The Poor Rate Unfolds a Tale", written by Thomas William Robertson in 1866 for ''Rates and Taxes'', a Christmas publication edited by Tom Hood.Full text of ''Society'' and ''Caste'' edited by T. Edgar Pemberton (1905)
www.archive.org. Accessed 22 August 2016 The play was first seen on 6 April 1867 at the

Prince of Wales' Theatre The Scala Theatre was a theatre in Charlotte Street, London, off Tottenham Court Road. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire. From 1865 to 1882, the theatre was ...

, produced by Squire Bancroft and his wife, the actress

, to whom it was dedicated. They had produced Robertson's plays ''

Society A society is a Social group, group of individuals involved in persistent Social relation, social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same Politics, political authority an ...

'' in 1865 and ''Ours'' in 1866. These plays are written, and were directed, in a naturalistic style that was novel for the time, in which the characters behave like real people, with settings and stage properties that add realism to the drama. The actors were in sympathy with this style, and the plays were successful. ''Caste'', in the same vein, was particularly enduring; during the next few years it was revived three times at the same theatre, totalling 650 performances under the Bancroft management. via www.archive.org. W. S. Gilbert's one-act farce ''Allow Me to Explain'' (1867) ran as a companion piece to ''Caste''. The popularity of ''Caste'' led to further Robertson and Bancroft successes: ''Play'' (1868), ''School'' (1869), and ''M.P.'' (1870). A reviewer of the opening night of the play wrote:

''Society'' and ''Ours'' prepared the way for a complete reformation of the modern drama, and until the curtain fell on Saturday night it remained a question whether Mr. Robertson would be able to hold the great reputation which those pieces conferred upon him. The production of ''Caste'' has thrown aside all doubt. The reformation is complete, and Mr. Robertson stands preeminent as the dramatist of this generation. The scene-painter, the carpenter, and the costumier no longer usurp the place of the author and actor. With the aid of only two simple scenes, a boudoir in Mayfair and a humble lodging in Lambeth, Mr. Robertson has succeeded in concentrating an accumulation of incident and satire more interesting and more poignant than might be found in all the sensational dramas of the last half century. The whole secret of his success is truth!

Synopsis

Act I "''The little house in

Stangate Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

'' — Courtship." In 1867, Captain George D'Alroy, whose mother is the Marquise de St. Maur, is in love with the beautiful ballet dancer Esther Eccles, who comes from a poor family. He wants advice and brings his fellow officer Captain Hawtree to meet Esther. Hawtree says, "the thing is out of the question.... Caste! – the inexorable law of caste! The social law... that commands like to mate with like". Esther's father comes in. He is a drunkard and does not work; he leaves when George gives him a half sovereign. Esther and her sister Polly (also a ballet dancer) arrive and they get tea ready. Polly establishes a friendly banter with Hawtree as he helps. Sam Gerridge, Polly's young man, takes a dislike to Hawtree, and after Hawtree leaves, Sam says, "People should stick to their own class. Life's a railway journey, and Mankind's a passenger – first class, second class, third class." Esther gets a letter to say she has got an engagement for work in Manchester, and George, not wanting her to leave, asks her to marry him. "''A lapse of eight months.''" Act II "''The lodgings in

Mayfair Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world ...

'' — Matrimony." George and Esther are married. He tries to get the courage to tell her he must leave to join his regiment; Hawtree comes to see if he is ready. George's mother the Marquise, who does not know he is married, visits. She knows he is to go on active service, and, since she is of a family of soldiers, quotes passages from the ''Chronicles'' of Froissart. Esther, in the next room, overhears their conversation and comes in, fainting. The Marquise learns of the marriage and meets Esther, Polly, Sam and Mr Eccles, all of whom she regards with contempt; they react indignantly. George and Hawtree leave to join their regiment and go to India. "''A lapse of twelve months.''" Act III "''The little house in Stangate'' — Widowhood." Esther is told that George has been killed in India. She moves home to Stangate to live with her fiery-tempered sister Polly, because the money left to her was lost by her father on gambling. She has a baby and wonders if she will ever find love again. Polly is expecting to marry Sam, and he has gone into business as a gasfitter. The Marquise arrives; she got a letter from Mr Eccles saying that Esther needed assistance. She wants to take the baby back with her, but Esther refuses. Mr Eccles is disappointed when the Marquise goes without leaving any money. Esther goes to lie down. Sam asks Mr Eccles if he can marry Polly, and he acquiesces when Sam (unnoticed by Polly) says he would supply him with alcohol and tobacco. George, not dead in spite of reports, arrives and meets Polly and Sam. Polly breaks the news to Esther, while George is out of the room, by acting excerpts from the ballet ''Jeanne la folle, or, the Return of the Soldier'', which Esther remembers. George explains that he was taken prisoner in India but managed to escape. The Marquise is overjoyed that her son has returned, and is reconciled to Esther. Hawtree, however, who is now a Major but has no title, gets a letter informing him that the girl he hoped to marry, daughter of a countess, is to marry a son of a marquis – Caste has thwarted him. He says, "Best to marry in your own rank of life." George says, "But if ever you find ''the'' girl, marry her."

Original cast

* Hon. George d'Alroy – Frederick Younge * Captain Hawtree – Squire Bancroft * Eccles – George Honey * Sam Gerridge – John Hare * Marquise de St. Maur –

Sophie Larkin Sophie Larkin (1833–1903) was an English actress of the late Victorian era. She created roles in plays by T. W. Robertson and in the long-running play '' Our Boys'' by H. J. Byron. Life Larkin's London debut was in 1865 at the Prince of Wales ...

* Esther Eccles –

* Polly Eccles – Lydia Foote

Productions

A 150th anniversary production of the play ran at the

Finborough Theatre The Finborough Theatre is a fifty-seat theatre in the West Brompton area of London (part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) under artistic director Neil McPherson. The theatre presents new British writing, as well as UK and world pr ...

, London, in April 2017, the first UK production in over 20 years. The cast included Paul Bradley as Eccles and Susan Penhaligon as the Marquise.

Adaptations

''Caste'' was adapted for a 1915 British film directed by Laurence Trimble. Sir John Hare made his first appearance in motion pictures, reprising his acclaimed stage portrayal of Eccles. Other cast included Esme Hubbard (Polly Eccles), Campbell Gullan (Sam Gerridge), Peggy Hyland (Esther), Dawson Millward (Captain Hawtree), Roland Pertwee (George d'Alroy) and

Mary Rorke Mary Rorke (14 February 1858, in London – 12 October 1938, in London) was a British stage and film actress.Mary Rorke

(The Marquise) It is believed to be a lost film. A film was made of the play in 1930; it featured Sebastian Shaw as George d'Alroy and

Hermione Baddeley Hermione Youlanda Ruby Clinton-Baddeley (13 November 1906 – 19 August 1986) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She typically played brash, vulgar characters, often referred to as "brassy" or "blowsy".Folkart, Burt, "Noted ...

as Polly Eccles, and was directed by Campbell Gullan.

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a serie ...

(who later made films with

Emeric Pressburger Emeric Pressburger (born Imre József Pressburger; 5 December 19025 February 1988) was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a collabora ...

) was an additional uncredited director. The period of the play was moved to 1914–15. A TV play of ''Caste'' was made in 1954 by the BBC; it featured Robin Bailey as George d'Alroy and Jill Bennett as Polly Eccles.Caste (1954)
Internet Movie database. Accessed Feb 2014.

References

External links

Full text of ''Society'' and ''Caste'' edited by T. Edgar Pemberton (1905)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caste (play) 1867 plays Plays by Thomas William Robertson