Throthe has discovered her father lost his life in a duel. Rare as duels are more about honor than homicide. Lord Abernathy (family friend) comes to deliver the sad news. Fortunately, Throthe’s a bit slow on the uptake, so it has time to sink in. As if this weren’t nuisance enough, the details found in British custom and probate, stipulate that Throthe herself must prevail in a duel against her father’s “assassin”. If things don’t shake out properly, she and her servants must leave their hearth and home. Yikes! Preposterous but true. Throthe, Lord Abernathy and Penelope and Tilly (the housekeepers) brainstorm for angles. Perhaps rough and ready Aunt Theodosia could tutor and/or possibly stand in for Throthe. On the side, Throthe has a paramour and fiance’ waiting in the wings. (tehe)

Rover’s The Lady Demands Satisfaction is the best kind of screwball comedy. We laugh breathlessly, happily and spontaneously. It embraces lunacy like your Aunt Mathilda. This kind of humor demands interpretation, tone and timing. Craft must be pitch perfect. More art than science. Michael M. Millan’s careful, savvy direction guides this Devil-May-Care cast (Andra Laine Hunter, Sherry Etzel Darcy Krokus, Alex Eding, Shea McMillan, Devin Hite and Toni Arroyo) like a raft down the Amazon. (That’s a river). Unlike politics, the merriment

of The Lady Demands comes from plot twists, surprises and daffy behavior. These fearless actors (dear God) must deal with punchy segues, nasty soup, swordplay, and shameless tomfoolery, HOW do they do it? Not to mention (kudos to Allison Kingwell) the opulent if challenging costumes. Please do understand, they’re amazing, but how do the actors manage? They’re so very very snug.

Cheers to playwright Arthur M. Jolly, who takes the risk of sneaking social conscientiousness into madcap comedy. It’s not easy. Throughout the script he begs some important questions. Why can’t women own property? Are Penelope and Tilly housekeepers or part of the family? Why couldn’t a woman master fencing? These ideas don’t leap, they’re carefully woven into content. Also: How DID he think of Throthe?

I have the pleasure and privilege of attending Rover Dramawerks for many years now, and I want to say, they have the knack for comedy, chops for drama, the cunning for mystery, and the spirit for animated, dedicated performance. As I’m sure you know, they seek shows that are off the radar, that you won’t often see at other venues. If at all. They provide opportunities for emerging playwrights. In short, they support their community. Many thanks.

Rover Dramawerks staged The Lady Demands Satisfaction from January 15th-February 1st, 2026. 1517 Avenue H, Plano, Texas 75074. (972) 849-0358 roverdramawerks.com