We all assume that Old Adam kidnaps Dame Hannah when Ruthven says to carry off “any lady” because Adam has a crush on Hannah, which is mentioned by the bridesmaids in Act 1.
But it was just pointed out to me that Adam is almost certainly the same age or older than Hannah. It’s likely he lived in the village of Reddering most of his life, possible he even worked for the Murgatroyds since he was a young man- if Ruthven had hired him after running away, Adam would probably not know that Robin was Ruthven in disguise. I assume Adam knew about young Ruthven’s plan to fake his own death to avoid the title, and followed him to keep an eye on him or something. And honestly, his suggestions for crimes in Act 2 suggest that maybe this isn’t his first time being Evil Henchman.
Which means Adam very probably KNOWS that Hannah and Roderick were engaged 40 years ago and broke up when the previous ancestor died and Roddy had to go away to be the Bad Baronet. So maybe Adam brought her there knowing she’d have to talk to Roderick and perhaps clear up some past misunderstandings.
(Any basses reading this who have played Old Adam and would like to weigh in on his motivations, please do. Or non-basses who just like Ruddygore :))
I really like the notion of Old Adam just…masterminding everything
There really needs to be Ruddigore fic, because the ending leaves the village with a population that suddenly includes quite a lot of former ghosts, and aside from the legal and practical issues — is the place going to end up overrun with eager historians? ( “I was to busy trying to think up my daily crime, sirrah, to pay any attention to the damn mealy-mouthed politics of the age!”)
Ooooooooooo! Historians! Talking to certain ghosts of certain Baronets…
Sounds like a perfect opportunity for…
EVIL TIME TRAVEL!
#gilbert and sullivan#bad baronets of ruddigore#ruddygore#i have all sorts of headcanons about the murgatroyd ancestors#should polish them and put them on ao3 really#evil time travel#mad tenoret’s odd thoughts
please do
If they’re legally alive again, do they resubstantiate, or
is it more of a polite legal fiction kind of thing? If they *are* alive
and solid again, is there an epidemic of bruises for the first few weeks because
out of habit they keep confidently walking into walls expecting to pass
through?I’ve always assumed it was legal fiction. Besides, legally alive and physically dead is a nice opposite to Grand Duke.
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Mooncustafer 