The History of Wit and Science
Written by Ashley Bruneske
John Redford wrote the humanist drama, Wit and Science, ca. 1530-48. The allegorical form of this play lends itself to be easily characterized as a morality play, focusing on the trials and tribulations of a character that represents mankind in general.
The central character of Redford’s play is Wit, a young man who has sought the hand of Lady Science. Her father, Reason, is unwilling to let his daughter marry Wit unless he can overcome the distractions of Idleness and Tediousness and give himself over to virtue and Honest Recreation. Of course our generalized hero falls into bad company and is made a fool of by Idleness and Ignorance. Only with the help of Honest Recreation and her company (Comfort, Quickness, and Strength) is Wit revived and set back on the right track to winning the hand of Science. Wit endures a great battle with the ogre, Tediousness, and fights him to the death. After the slaughter, Wit has proved himself to be virtuous and worthy of his love, Lady Science. The two are wed in the presence of their allegorical companies and the play ends with the joyous festivities.
Our Medieval Drama class production, Tentatively Called: Dude Where’s My Science, has adapted the original message of Redford and produced it into a context relating to our current audience. Our play is set on a 1970’s college campus, wherein a struggling student, Wit, battles a boring professor and fights off drunken losers in order to make the grades necessary to date Sky, the lovely daughter of Professor Reason. Though the new play uses extensive anachronism and some current date references, it retains the hypothetical balance between working hard and hardly working. In order to reap the fruits of life, time must be spent in virtuous activity.
Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.