The Explorers Club by Nell Benjamin

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Bibliographic Information:

The Explorers Club

Benjamin, Nell

ISBN: 978-0822230090

2014 Dramatists Play Service New York, NY

Plot Summary:

Phyllida Spot-Hume is a scientist and explorer who is about to present her discovery of a primitive man, from a primitive culture, to the Queen of England. The Explorers Club is not ready to admit a woman into its ranks in the year 1879. Harry Percy, who claims to have found the unmapped West Pole and intends to look for the East pole, is a bit of a buffoon and thinks that exploring is too dangerous for women. Lucius Fretway, a botanist in the Explorers Club, disagrees and advocates for Phyllida’s membership. The men in the club exclude her and keep her outside of their lounge as they talk over cigars and brandy.

The next day, Phyllida’s savage brings a lot of unwanted attention to the Club when he slaps the Queen. The Club conceals him as their bartender and the crazy characters bumble along in the battle against the Crown, Irish malcontents brought on by a member saying they should be moved to Palestine, and the ever fraught debate over the admittance of Phyllida Spot-Hume into their ranks. All the while, Harry and Lucius debate over who will win Phyllida’s heart, as Harry thinks it’s a fun game and Lucius adamantly maintains that it is not a game.

Critical Evaluation:

The Explorers Club uses spoof and word play to entertain the audience. Students often have to read plays at some time or another during their education and this one is more accessible than that of Shakespeare. The modern language is pretending to be from the late 1800s, but it is definitely clear. Where Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter and made up words, Benjamin has her characters speaking the way any typical, educated Londoner may have in the late 19^th century.

The foreshadowing practically hits you over the head when Phyllida explains that her savage, Luigi, comes from a society that slaps each other across the face as a greeting. Learning that Luigi is going to meet the Queen the next day, the audience is very aware of the danger.

Later, when Phyllida’s twin sister shows up and the comedic device of mistaken identity is used, the story just becomes more absurd. Phyllida’s sister explains an entire back story to her sister that makes her seem as wacky and misguided as the other explorers. As it turns out Phyllida always names her discoveries and pets Luigi, because Luigi is the name of her one great love. In spite of this information, Lucius and Harry still battle each other for the eye of Miss Spot-Hume.

Comedy, pratt-falls, and entertaining dialogue make this a quick read.

Reader’s Annotation:

The Explorers Club is a group of bumbling men who may need to admit a woman to be saved from their own folly.

Author Information:

NELL BENJAMIN received 2007 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work on LEGALLY BLONDE. She is the author of PIRATES!, an adaptation of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, developed at Goodspeed Opera House and Paper Mill Playhouse. She wrote CAM JANSEN with Laurence O’Keefe (produced by Theatreworks/USA), wrote lyrics for SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL and THE MICE, won a Kleban Award and a Jonathan Larson Foundation grant and is a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild of America.

Retrieved from http://www.rnh.com/bio/153/Benjamin-Nell on 8/3/2015

Genre(s):

Comedy, Play

Curriculum Ties:

Literature, Theater

Booktalk Ideas:

This play opens up topics on cultural appropriation, exploration, and sexism.

Reading level: grade 9+

Interest age: 11+

Challenge Issues:

This play fall into our library's selection criteria as a modern addition to our YA section.

Why I chose this book:

 I chose this book because it was recommended through audiobooksync.com for teens.