Live theater is one of modern civilization’s oldest forms of entertainment, emphasizing interaction between cast and audience. Theater students at Iowa State practice and perform numerous plays throughout the semester – their newest endeavor is a rendition of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s “The Rivals.”

According to Theatrehistory.com, the Rivals was first shown on Jan. 17, 1775, in the Covent Garden in London. It was said not to have been well-received on its first night because of its length and to the bad playing of the part of Sir Lucius O’Trigger. The play was reworked and shown on Jan. 28, and became an instant success.

The story of “The Rivals” is built around the love affair between Lydia Languish and Captain Absolute that is spurred from the age-old catalyst – money. Languish – a young heiress who is set to inherit a large amount of money on her 21st birthday – is a romantic idealist who abhors money, but coincidentally finds herself as the affection of Captain Absolute. In attempt to win the love of Languish, Absolute appeals to his love’s ideals by disguising himself as a poor military man, all of which is met by the varying disapproval from their respective parents.

“The characters are rather simple; the plot is very complex,” said Jane Cox, professor of music and director of the play. “The characters do not have a lot of depth, but that usually makes for a very more complicated plot.”

The characters are indeed very simple, but one thing that “The Rivals” boasts over other productions of this respect is notoriety of its characters. Probably the most well-known character from the play is Mrs. Malaprop, who is the old, crass aunt of Languish. Mrs. Malaprop is most known for her fearful wit and insatiable attempts to impress those around her by using large words that often come out in very wrong ways.

“She sees herself as very intelligent and exactly what a woman should be,” said Malary Harris, junior in performance arts and actress playing the role of Mrs. Malaprop.

Harris said that Mrs. Malaprop has a problem with language, and that she often says what is meant to be said instead of what should be said.

Mrs. Malaprop has been compared to many other characters in drama over the years, but Harris said that she can also be compared to a lot of older women of our time.

“Had she lived in this day and age she would be that woman with the fake breasts and the fake nose, lips and every kind of implant possible,” she said.

Underneath the abrasive demeanor of many of the characters, however, lie some very pressing issues of human behavior and interaction. Cox said that there are still problems that arise in similar situations today in terms of people not being honest with each other.

One such case is with the character Sir Anthony Absolute, father of the enjoyably deceiving protagonist, Captain Absolute.

“He’s a good dad, but he’s just a crotchety old guy and he’s trying to set up his son in a marriage and his son is giving him a hard time,” said Michael Rubke, senior in performing arts playing the role of Sir Anthony Absolute. “I kinda draw off my own relationship with my own dad. He knows me better than I realize. Probably pretty universal actually.”

Cox said that the period of restoration comedy was built around a certain sense of freedom and fun and an expression of things that had never been discussed in certain ways before.

“People say lots of times that comedy is very critical of human behavior,” Cox said. “But Mark Twain always said when you tell the truth you better make people laugh or they will kill you – so comedy does that.”