"Jack Straw: A Farce in Three Acts" by W. Somerset Maugham is a humorous play that pokes fun at social classes and the silliness of pretending to be someone you're not. The story starts in a fancy hotel where Lady Wanley and Ambrose Holland chat about the Parker-Jennings family, who recently became rich. Lady Wanley helped them get into high society, but Mrs. Parker-Jennings later acted like she was too good for her. The likeable nature of Wallace is shown through his interactions with others. This then leads to a plan to trick the snobby Parker-Jennings by having Jack Straw pretend to be a royal person. As characters deal with tricky social situations, the play becomes more suspenseful and funny, revealing how ridiculous the story really is.
Jack Straw: A Farce in Three Acts
By W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham
In a world of snobbery and deception, a common man disguises himself as royalty to expose the ridiculousness of high society.
Summary
About the AuthorWilliam Somerset Maugham was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German university. He became a medical student in London and qualified as a physician in 1897. He never practised medicine, and became a full-time writer. His first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), a study of life in the slums, attracted attention, but it was as a playwright that he first achieved national celebrity. By 1908 he had four plays running at once in the West End of London. He wrote his 32nd and last play in 1933, after which he abandoned the theatre and concentrated on novels and short stories.
William Somerset Maugham was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German university. He became a medical student in London and qualified as a physician in 1897. He never practised medicine, and became a full-time writer. His first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), a study of life in the slums, attracted attention, but it was as a playwright that he first achieved national celebrity. By 1908 he had four plays running at once in the West End of London. He wrote his 32nd and last play in 1933, after which he abandoned the theatre and concentrated on novels and short stories.
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