''The False Count, Or, A New Way to play An Old Game,'' is a

comedic play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between characters and intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, from ...

written by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

, first performed in 1681 and published in 1682. It was staged by the

Duke's Company The Duke's Company was a theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era, 1660. Sir William Davenant was manager of the company under the patronage of Prince James, Duke of York. During hats period, theatres b ...

at the

Dorset Garden Theatre The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the D ...

in London. The cast included William Smith as Don Carlos,

James Nokes James Nokes (Noke, Noak, Noakes) (died c.1692) was an English actor, whose laughter-arousing genius was attested by Cibber and other contemporaries. Life Nokes was one of the male actors who played female roles in the newly reopened playhouses s ...

as Francisco, John Freeman as Sebastian, John Wiltshire as Antonio, George Bright as Baltazer,

Cave Underhill Cave Underhill (1634–1710?) was an English actor in comedy roles. Underhill entertained three generations of London theatre-goers. For over 40 years, as a member of the Duke's Company, Underhill played the first Gravedigger in ''Hamlet''. He w ...

as Guzman,

Anthony Leigh Anthony Leigh (died 1692) was a celebrated English comic actor. Life He was from a Northamptonshire family, and was not closely related to the actor John Leigh (c.1689–1726?). He joined the Duke of York's company about 1672, and appeared in ...

as Guilion,

Elizabeth Currer Elizabeth Currer was an Irish stage actress of the Restoration Era. She was a member of the Duke's Company during the 1670s and subsequently part of the merged United Company from 1682. Although she was likely acting in London several years earli ...

as Isabella and Margaret Osborne as Jacinta.

Plot

Julia is in love with Don Carlos, the Governor of Cadiz. The couple have secretly exchanged private vows of love, but Julia's father then coerces her into marrying Don Francisco, an old Englishman who now lives in Spain. Francisco proves to be a jealous and oppressive husband. After they are taken prisoner by supposed corsairs, the terrified Francisco relinquishes Julia to their captor, a 'Turkish Sultan'. The Sultan is actually Carlos in disguise, and he and Julia are able to consummate their relationship. Their trick is discovered once Julia's father arrives at the villa. Carlos announces to the group that he and Julia did not commit

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

, because their private vows meant that they were already married in the eyes of God. Francisco is therefore obliged to release Julia from their marriage. In a sub-plot, Francisco's haughty daughter Isabella is supposed to marry Antonio (a friend of Carlos). She is introduced to Guiliom, a chimney-sweep who is masquerading as a nobleman (the 'false count' of the title). Antonio is then free to marry Clara (Julia's sister), with whom he is actually in love.

Reception

Anita Pacheco notes that 'what is immediately striking about ''The False Count'' in generic terms are the ways in which it blurs the distinctions between the camps of the cuckolding parties'. The hero's victory comes at the price of becoming a

cuckold A cuckold is the husband of an adulterous wife; the wife of an adulterous husband is a cuckquean. In biology, a cuckold is a male who unwittingly invests parental effort in juveniles who are not genetically his offspring. A husband who is aw ...

himself: in order to assert his legal rights to Julia, Carlos must concede that Francisco has cuckolded him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:False Count Plays by Aphra Behn 1681 plays Restoration comedy