Your research shows that patrons did more than drink coffee at mother claps. Mother clap s molly house is a 2001 play by mark ravenhill with music by matthew scott. Cross dressing and queer socialising historic england. Mother clap s molly house field lane, holborn, the location of mother clap s molly house on the left side of the picture, rocque map of london, 1746. From there it is but a short step to setting up a molly house, or male brothel. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mother clap s molly house, a black comedy with songs is a celebration of the diversity of human sexualtiy, an exploration of our need to form families and a fascinatig insight into a hidden chapter in londons history. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about mother clap s molly house. In this wonderfully exuberant new musical play, he celebrates sodom like theres no gomorrah. Miss muffs molly house in whitechapel east end womens.
Margaret clap owned and ran the most notorious of these houses, which was located here in field lane. Mark ravenhills play mother claps molly house explores the gay subculture of 18thcentury london. The house of margaret clap was a molly house, though not a brothel, next to the bunch of grapes in field lane in holborn. The most known molly house in 18th century london was the one owned by mother clap, which had been open from 1724 until 1726, when a raid sustained by the societies for the reformation of. It is based on an essay in the book of the same name by rictor norton. Cross dressing and queer socialising share this page. A riotous musical play, bursting with outrageous characters, graphic sexuality, bawdy songs and. I was trying to get a copy of mother clap s molly house the gay subculture in england 17001830 for ages, but the few available were so expensive.
Mother claps molly house by mark ravenhill goodreads. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but was ultimately disappointed. Mother claps molly house is a 2001 play by mark ravenhill with music by matthew scott. Mark ravenhill has built his reputation on the back of a series of uncompromising plays that take gay themes as their main driving force. Mother claps molly house modern plays mark ravenhill on.
Mark ravenhill lyttelton, royal national theatre 2001 share. Mother claps mollyhouse field lane, holborn, the location of mother clap s mollyhouse on the left side of the picture, rocque map of london, 1746. The gay subculture in england 17001830 by rictor norton online at alibris. The whores are giving her a hard time, a man in a dress is looking for a job, her husband has a roving eye and the apprentice boy keeps disappearing for a wander. Mother claps molly house the gay subculture in england. Mother claps molly house, national theatre, london. Mark ravenhill burst on to the theatre scene in 1996 with the huge hit shopping and fucking. He has continued to garner critical acclaim for plays that include some explicit polaroids, mother clap s molly house, and most recently shootget treasurerepeat national theatre and royal court, april 2008.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. This is the area where field lane used to be before the viaduct construction demolished the road. It was located in field lane near holborn, and although owned by john clap, was run by his wife mother clap. Citizenship, a bittersweet comedy about growing up that. Map including field lane, the site of mother claps house. The most known mollyhouse in 18th century london was the one owned by mother clap, which had been open from 1724 until 1726, when a raid sustained by the societies for the reformation of manners had it dismantled. Challenging in its demonstration that the molly subculture was primarily a workingclass community of blacksmiths, milkmen, publicans and shopkeepers, mother claps molly house also records the exuberant lives of personalities such as charles hitchin the thieftaker, the dramatists samuel foote and isaac bickerstaff, william beckford of fonthill, and rev. The gay subculture in england 17001830 by rictor norton. It ends abruptly when a raid ensues, and mother clap margaret is arrested along with the sodomites in her house. Mother claps molly house, a black comedy with songs is a celebration of the diversi its london 1726, and mrs tulls got problems. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The trial of margaret clap and her friends comes right at the end of a period of intense raids. It is based on an essay in the book of the same name by rictor norton the play is a black comedy and explores the diversity of human sexuality.
Click to read more about mother clap s molly house. Mother claps molly house modern plays mark ravenhill. The whores are giving her a hard time, a man in a dress is looking for a job, her husband has a roving eye and the apprentice boy keeps disappearing for. Notable for running a molly house, an inn or tavern primarily frequented by homosexual men, she was also heavily involved in the ensuing legal battles after her premises were raided and shut down. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library.
I think those weddings, though entirely non legally binding, were what theyd be called for any other group, ceremonies. Mother or margaret claps molly house, one of the most famous onesin fact, a play about this particular molly house mother claps molly house had a recent run at the barbican in londonis described by its proprietor as a coffee house. Meanwhile in 2001 a group of wealthy gay men are preparing for a raunchy party. The gay subculture in england 17001830 hardcover september 28, 2007 by.
Mother claps hosted 30 or 40 persons every night, but more on. Her house in the city of london had been under surveillance since 10 december 1725, and was raided in february 1726 1725 in the oldstyle calendar, in which the new year did not begin until march an incident which forms the central chapter of my book mother claps molly house. Mother clap s molly house this is where mother clap s molly house used to be. The whores are giving her a hard time, a man in a dress is looking for a job, her husband has a roving eye and the apprentice boy keeps disappearing. Mother claps molly house is only recorded as having existed for two years but this was probably just the period during which it was under surveillance. Sometimes history books refer to the molly house weddings as mock marriages or rituals but i dont think they were. One of the best known and most popular molly houses was margaret mother clap s molly house.
Mother claps molly house by mark ravenhill overdrive. Given its popularity and the notoriety of margaret clap herself the likelihood is that it had been in business for much longer. The old bailey online considers margaret claps molly house to be the most famous molly house of londons eighteenth century gay subculture and several historians of the gay subculture have mentioned it in their works. It ran from 17241726 and was probably margaret claps own house. This pioneering historical study is the first comprehensive chronicle of. It is set partly in london of the 18th century, where the molly house of mother clap caters to the gay subculture, and partly in 2001, at a party. Mother claps molly house by mark ravenhill, paperback. Mother claps molly house by mark ravenhill waterstones. This book is published to tiein with its national theatre premiere this september. David benedict for the independent says, the only shocking thing about the evening is how splendidly enjoyable it is. Similar books to mother claps molly house modern plays due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download find your next great read with kindle unlimited check out cosy winter fiction reads, cookery and more with this months. Mother claps molly house shit on those who call this sodomy we call it fabulous. Incidentally, mother clap was a real woman called margaret clap. After the raid several people were tried and three men were hanged at tyburn for the crime of sodomy.
This bawdy musical drama, the disclaimer warns, contains language and scenes that. About mother claps molly house like bawdy shakespeare meets wild wycherley filtered through the formalised camp of john osbornes a patriot for me. Finally i saw one a little cheaper and snapped it up, and im so glad i did. Mother clap s molly house m ark ravenhill clearly likes to have it both ways. It includes mother clap s molly house, a black comedy and celebration of human sexuality that premiered at the national theatre in 2001. This is an impressive study which sheds light on homosexuality in the georgian era. Royal national theatre great britain its london, 1726, and mrs. Discovering her apprentice, martin, and some of his chums in skirts, she becomes aware of a bustling subculture that will enable her to fulfil two of her fantasies.
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