Lottery of Love, Orange Tree Theatre

Sylvia is a woman before her time. She sees marriage for what it is. Crossly, she agrees to her father's wish that she meet a potential suitor - the son of his old friend - but only if she can observe him at a distance. To do this she swaps places with her maid Louisa. Unknown to Sylvia, the equally coltish Richard has similarly swapped places with his manservant, John. You can see why this piece is named The Lottery of Love, though the jackpot is in clear sight.

This version of Marivaux's The Lottery of Love was written by John Fowles, he of the The French Lieutenant's Woman, and it is fast, witty, silly laugh-out-loud fun. Dorothea Myer-Bennet is gloriously petulant as Sylvia, lovestruck by the masquerading manservant, but showing some of her father's snobbery by resisting his advances. Meanwhile, above stairs, Louisa and John - hilarious Keir Charles as a swaggering pantomimic cariacature - are similarly testing boundaries.

The Orange Tree stage is perfect for this small and intimate production of The Lottery of Love. The audience is addressed throughout, so we become a sounding board. Ashley Zanghaza as Richard, is quizzical and charming. Claire Lams is quirky and sexy as Louisa and clearly far too good for John - it's like the pairing of a show pony and Eeyore, but the idea of them spending the rest of their lives together is hilarious.

In conclusion: As Sylvia's father and her brother Martin, Pip Dinghy and Tam Williams are joyful foils. The Lottery of Love is a 90 minute antidote to the gloom and doom of the moment. Directed by Paul Miller it's eccentric and inclusive and well worth a ticket.


Lottery of Love, Orange Tree Theatre, 1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA  Run ends May 15