Charley’s Aunt

At Oxford, Babbs is on the brink of expulsion for a disgraceful cricket match incident: he hits Professor Redcliffe with a ball, spills tea, and accidentally rings a fire bell while pursuing a prankster. Professor Redcliffe cites a 15 year limit to earn a degree, threatening Babbs with expulsion. Babbs hopes Charley Wykeham and Jack Chesney will back him up when needed.

Chesney and Wykeham are in love with Kitty Verdun and Amy Spettigue. They learn that Charley's wealthy aunt Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez is coming to visit Oxford to investigate him. To smooth the meeting, they arrange a lunch so the girls can meet the mysterious visitor.

Donna Lucia s solicitor Hilary Babberley informs her that Charley's aunt will visit and that she will hide her identity as Mrs Beverly Smythe. Babbs is chosen to escort her around Oxford while concealing her true identity. Babbs reluctantly agrees in exchange for keeping his friends out of trouble.

Sir Francis Chesney reveals debts that threaten the family finances for years. Jack suggests that Sir Francis marry Donna Lucia to clear the debts, a plan that could be helped by meeting her. Sir Francis agrees to meet Donna Lucia and considers the possibility, setting the stage for a money driven plot.

With the girls worried about a missing chaperone, Babbs is pressed into impersonating Donna Lucia using his old lady costume. He initially resists, but Charley and Jack push him to go through with the ruse. Babbs is introduced to the girls in drag as Charley's Brazilian aunt.

Sir Francis meets the disguised Donna Lucia and Spettigue arrives, guarding the girls from suitors to protect his earnings. Spettigue learns that Donna Lucia is a wealthy woman from Brazil and becomes a rival for Sir Francis for her attention. The competition over the supposed aunt heightens the stakes.

In Act II, Sir Francis proposes marriage to Donna Lucia purely for money. Jack urges Babbs to reject the idea gently, and Babbs refuses the proposal on behalf of the real Donna Lucia. Sir Francis accepts gracefully, leaving the disguised Babbs with a delicate balance of truth and deception.

The real Donna Lucia arrives and Babbs, still in male attire, presents the letter of introduction from his uncle. Mrs Smythe flirts and notes that Babbs is older than expected, to which he replies that she is younger than anticipated. The encounter heightens the tension as the disguise is challenged.

Charley and Jack realize they need Spettigue's consent in writing to marry their beloveds and enlist Babbs in the Donna Lucia disguise to obtain it by pretending to marry Spettigue. The ruse hinges on tricking theLETTER of consent to appear legitimate. Tension rises as the plot relies on clever deception.

During tea, Mrs Smythe is introduced to Donna Lucia and begins to see through Babbs's disguise. The disguise strains under scrutiny as the false aunt seems increasingly out of touch with Donna Lucia's supposed persona. The characters edge closer to exposure.

That evening at dinner with all the key players, Mrs Smythe embarrasses Donna Lucia by exposing ignorance about Brazil, coffee, and her late husband Don Pedro. In private, she reveals to Babbs that she has known who he is for hours, heightening the risk of exposure. The deception appears to unravel.

Babbs, in the act of accepting marriage as Donna Lucia, backs into a statue and the wig snag exposes his male identity. Spettigue declares the consent letter invalid since it is addressed to Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez. The real Donna Lucia takes back the letter and reveals her true self.

Donna Lucia tells Babbs that he will manage her financial affairs from now on. Charley jokes about needing Babbs as an aunt no more, and Babbs hints that Charley may end up calling him uncle. The story closes with the couples facing their futures, aided by the comic resilience of Babbs.