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1660s: Neil Gwynn came from nothing to become the mistress of King Charles II.
The Darling Strumpet
What you need to know before your trail
Neil Gwynn came from nothing to become the mistress of King Charles II. Her story is told by Gillian Bagwell and is set in the heart of theatreland in London.
The Darling Strumpet is the story of Nell’s impressive rise from the streets of London to the most coveted position in the land. Her spirit shines out in the book – her tenacity, wit and charm above all else.
But what also came out of this novel, sadly, was the awful early life she had and the abuse she suffered at the hands of men. Some readers will feel very uncomfortable at the language and descriptions used but they are all sadly representative of the time it would seem.
Travel Guide
Nell’s impressive rise from the streets in London, to Convent Garden to one of the most coveted positions beside the King Of England himself.
But Nell’s real story is not the negative parts of her life but how she overcame these and other situations by her charm and sheer zest for life. Her thrill at getting a job selling oranges at the theatre is charming as it is exciting for the reader as we know this is the start of some good fortune for a heroine we have already come to love.
Arriving at the Theatre where she is going to see a lady called Orange Moll to see if she can a job at this amazing new place of excitement:
“And she would be part of it! She felt a thrill, and then a stab of doubt..[ ] After all, who was she but a ragamuffin from the squalid streets?”
Nell is enthralled by the smells and sounds of the theatre – no wonder she wants to become an actress. When something happens to the man who says he will teach her, you can hear the collective gasp of readers worrying if Nell’s dream is about to be snatched away from her. The theatre land in London now is of course not the bawdy, dirty maze of streets that it once was. But walking past the theatre in Drury Lane, you can still imagine her standing outside. She loves the theatre and feels that this will give her a purpose in life:
“ I want to do that Nell thought. I want to make them love me like that.”
How sad and poignant! But the story of Nell although a mix of fact and fiction is an amazing tale of rags to riches and everything inbetween.
Streetview Maps
1) London's Covent Garden
2) London - Stage door of the Drury Lane theatre
Can you see Nell standing there?
Can you see Nell standing there?
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information:
Twitter: @GillianBagwell
Facebook: /gillianbagwell
Web: gillianbagwell.com
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