Frederick Lonsdale’s On Approval at JC3.

Need a break from everything? Have traffic snarls, internet news cycles, and global political tensions got you longing to get away from it all, and thinking maybe an escape to a simpler time might help, even if only for a couple of hours? Well, fear not. The Jewish Cultural and Community Center of San Miguel (JC3) has just the thing for you.

Join us as JC3 presents two staged readings of Frederick Lonsdale’s scandalous, hilarious 1926 drawing room comedy, On Approval, on Sunday, March 22 at 4:00 pm and Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 pm. Leave your concerns at home, and be ready for the afternoon or evening of carefree laughter.

As with most English drawing room comedies, plot takes a back seat, supplying just enough storyline to support its characters’ antics as members of British nobility and upper classes address social issues of the day through sparkling, witty repartee and sniping at one another.

In On Approval’s scandalous, ahead-of-its-time storyline, George, the cash-depleted Duke of Bristol, sets his sights on the healthy financial reserves of upper-class Maria Wislack. The widowed Mrs. Wislack, however, is being courted by the younger Richard Halton, who has been smitten with Maria for years. When Richard finally gets up the courage to propose to her, Mrs. Wislack makes a scandalous-for-its-day suggestion of her own. She will accept his proposal only on the condition that they first go away to her secluded island estate and live together as husband and wife for one month to see how compatible they will be.

Meanwhile, the cash-strapped George, who in turn is adored by the younger, earnest Helen Hayle, manages to convince Maria that he and Helen should accompany her (Maria) and Richard on their stay at the isolated estate. The four set off for their month-long vacation and, as one might imagine…

Hilarity ensues.

Staged Readings of On Approval will be performed at JC3 (47 Calle Las Moras at Cinco de Mayo) on Sunday, March 22, at 4:00 pm and Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm.

Doors open at 3:30 pm on Sunday and 6:30 pm on Thursday. Wine, other drinks, and snacks are available for purchase.

Donation:

Members: $150 MXN cash, $165 MXN CLIP or PayPal.

Non-members $200 MXN cash, $220 MXN CLIP or PayPal.

For Online Clip Payments, please include the name of the event and date, as well as the names of the people attending, in the concept field.