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Charley's Aunt (Theatre)

 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
type
TVTItem
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
label
Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
page
CharleysAunt
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
comment
Charley's Aunt is a three-act farce by Brandon Thomas that, when it premiered in 1892, was so wildly successful that it shattered theater records at the time, becoming the longest-running play with well over a thousand performances in London, a Broadway version, and an international tour.It concerns two Oxford students, Jack and the eponymous Charley, who are in love with Kitty and Amy, respectively. The two girls happen to be friends (Amy's uncle, Stephen Spettigue, is Kitty's guardian), and plan to leave for Scotland the next morning. The boys, however, want to have a private moment in which to confess their love, but they can't possibly invite the girls to their rooms alone, out of concern for the girls' reputation. They need a chaperone. Luckily, Charley is expecting his aunt Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez: the rich widow of a Brazilian millionaire, who has financed his education but never met him in person.At the last minute, however, Donna Lucia sends a telegram saying she is delayed on business. The girls are arriving soon and they will have no chaperone. They do, however, have their friend Lord Fancourt Babberly, who just so happens to be in an amateur theatre production playing an old woman...The play has been adapted to the screen numerous times, most famously as a 1941 film starring Jack Benny as Babberly. Later adapted as The Musical Where's Charley?.Unexpectedly, the 1975 USSR film "Hello, I'm your aunt" (a loose adaptation bordering on a tele-play) became a hit and remains a fan favorite to this day.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
fetched
2023-10-17T21:32:16Z
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
parsed
2023-10-17T21:32:16Z
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: Frequently, in the form of "I'm Charley's aunt from Brazil, where the nuts come from." Also the last line of the play, from Lord Fancourt:
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_18d15922
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_18d15922
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_18d15922
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_255cc9bd
type
Nephewism
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_255cc9bd
comment
Nephewism: Mr. Spettigue has a niece, Amy, and a ward, Kitty. And of course, Donna Lucia has a nephew in Charley.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_255cc9bd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_255cc9bd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_255cc9bd
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_3c51db1c
type
Zany Scheme
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_3c51db1c
comment
Zany Scheme: Getting a fellow college friend to dress in drag to play chaperone.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_3c51db1c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_3c51db1c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_3c51db1c
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_40cc0c7e
type
Bittersweet Ending
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_40cc0c7e
comment
Bittersweet Ending: Jack and Charley get the girls and Spettigue is left appalled and upset at having been deceived and manipulated.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_40cc0c7e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_40cc0c7e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_40cc0c7e
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4435aa66
type
Attractive Bent-Gender
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4435aa66
comment
Attractive Bent-Gender: Subverted. Babs' "Donna Lucia" has no manners, cannot make conversation, and is described by several characters as ugly. Mr. Spettigue pursues her anyway, as he's bent on her millions.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4435aa66
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4435aa66
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4435aa66
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_447b77a5
type
"Fawlty Towers" Plot
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_447b77a5
comment
"Fawlty Towers" Plot: What starts as A Simple Plan to get a chaperone soon becomes more and more elaborate in order to Maintain the Lie.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_447b77a5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_447b77a5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_447b77a5
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_45d22aad
type
Sweet and Sour Grapes
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_45d22aad
comment
Sweet and Sour Grapes: Colonel Sir Francis Chesney believes that he must marry "Donna Lucia" in order to secure his son's future, but is turned down. He instead proposes to Lucy, out of love rather than financial gain, and finds that she really is a millionaire.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_45d22aad
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_45d22aad
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_45d22aad
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4a3e547f
type
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4a3e547f
comment
Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Lord Fancourt (who had been impersonating Charley's aunt so Charley could tell his sweetheart's father that he had a chaperone) tells Donna Lucia (Charley's real aunt) that "in future I resign to Sir Francis Chesney all claims to 'Charley's Aunt.'" Brandon Thomas, who wrote the play, also was the original Sir Francis.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4a3e547f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4a3e547f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_4a3e547f
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_653c5c73
type
Cannot Spit It Out
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_653c5c73
comment
Cannot Spit It Out: Jack. No matter how many times he gets Kitty alone, he can't find the courage to tell her the dreaded L-word. Also Babs and Colonel Sir Francis. Their romantic plots revolve around their shyness and how it temporarily, at least lost them the women they loved.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_653c5c73
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_653c5c73
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_653c5c73
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_6da1d9ae
type
Parental Marriage Veto
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_6da1d9ae
comment
Parental Marriage Veto: Mr. Spettigue is guardian to both Amy and Kitty, and Kitty in particular cannot receive her fortune if she marries without her guardian's consent.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_6da1d9ae
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_6da1d9ae
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_6da1d9ae
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_7921ad77
type
Actually, I Am Him
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_7921ad77
comment
Actually, I Am Him: Lucy, the real Donna Lucia, knows that the person calling herself Donna Lucia is an imposter. So naturally she pretends to be "Beverly Smythe," who knew Don Pedro intimately, to amuse herself.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_7921ad77
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_7921ad77
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_7921ad77
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_85ca9dab
type
Second Love
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_85ca9dab
comment
Second Love: Colonel Sir Francis and Lucy. Played With in that they were lovers when they were young
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_85ca9dab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_85ca9dab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_85ca9dab
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_88cee6e2
type
Abhorrent Admirer
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_88cee6e2
comment
Abhorrent Admirer: Old Spettigue, to "Donna Lucia."
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_88cee6e2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_88cee6e2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_88cee6e2
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_9438e550
type
The Big Damn Kiss
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_9438e550
comment
The Big Damn Kiss: Played straight with Jack and Kitty. Played for Laughs with "Donna Lucia" and Mr. Spettigue.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_9438e550
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_9438e550
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_9438e550
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
type
Maiden Aunt
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
comment
Maiden Aunt: Jack and Charley assume Donna Lucia is this, and base Babs' portrayal of her on that assumption.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_959cb9aa
type
One Degree of Separation
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_959cb9aa
comment
One Degree of Separation: Jack is Sir Francis' son, Kitty's suitor, and Charley and Babbs' friend. Charley is Amy's suitor, Dona Lucia's nephew, and Jack and Babbs' friend. Babbs is Jack and Charley's friend, and turns out to be the young man who deliberately lost money to Ela's father playing cards when he was penniless and dying, and who loved and was loved by Ela. Sir Francis (Jack's father) turns out to also be Donna Lucia's old suitor. Donna Lucia is Charley's (real) aunt, and Ela's guardian. Kitty is Sir Spettigue's niece; she and Amy are both under his legal guardianship, and are best friends. Sir Spettique wants to marry Donna Lucia. The only character who isn't related to, or in love with note or at least trying to marry, in the case of Sir Spettique, at least one of the others is Brassett, Jack's valet.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_959cb9aa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_959cb9aa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_959cb9aa
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_d2b59903
type
Cool Old Lady
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_d2b59903
comment
Cool Old Lady: The real Donna Lucia, though she's hardly old.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_d2b59903
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_d2b59903
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_d2b59903
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_dc579c91
type
Contrived Coincidence
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_dc579c91
comment
Contrived Coincidence: Lord Fancourt Babberly just so happens to be playing an old woman in his theatre production, and just so happens to have the costume with him just as the girls arrive. And the woman he's in love with just so happened to be adopted by Donna Lucia.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_dc579c91
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_dc579c91
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_dc579c91
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_e37f19
type
Disguised in Drag
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_e37f19
comment
Disguised in Drag: A classic example.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_e37f19
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_e37f19
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_e37f19
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f5a90567
type
Incredibly Conspicuous Drag
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f5a90567
comment
Incredibly Conspicuous Drag: The entire show runs on this trope.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f5a90567
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f5a90567
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f5a90567
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f6b2bfb7
type
Gold Digger
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f6b2bfb7
comment
Gold Digger: Mr. Spettigue. Jack encourages his father to be one to restore the family fortune, but it's his father's willingness to marry a woman he believes is a penniless widow that wins him her heart and her millions.
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f6b2bfb7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f6b2bfb7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f6b2bfb7
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33
type
Running Gag
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33
comment
Running Gag: Tons. In particular, the line "I'm Charley's aunt from Brazil, where the nuts come from."
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
comment
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
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 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre) / int_name
itemName
Charley's Aunt (Theatre)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Disguised in Drag / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Dramatic Drop / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Leaning on the Fourth Wall / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Maiden Aunt / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Matron Chaperone / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Nephewism / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
One Degree of Separation / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Questioning Title? / int_5d9e28cc
 Charley's Aunt (Theatre)
hasFeature
Wholesome Crossdresser / int_5d9e28cc