Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Kenneth Tynan called Richard Brinsley Sheridan the author of the 'wittiest play in English'. Since they were first staged in the 1770s Sheridan's three major comedies, The Rivals, The School for Scandal and The Critic, have never fallen out of favour with either critics or audiences. Despite this continuing popularity Sheridan remains an enigmatic figure who produced his best plays before the age of thirty and then chose to pursue a controversial political career.

This study analyses Sheridan's most famous plays at length as well as discussing his other dramatic works. It considers the influence of the Georgian theatre and its outstanding actors on the creation of the plays.

Sheridan was fascinated with the ability of words both to reveal the truth and to distort it. He was also concerned by the ethical cost of the public's demand for ceaseless entertainment. These twin obsessions permeate his plays and have become increasingly relevant in an age of global communication and social networking.

About the author:

Sean Elliott teaches for the Open University and on the University of London's International Programme. His Restoration Drama was published in 2013 by Greenwich Exchange. He has also published two poetry collections, Waterhouse and the Tempest (2009) and The Status of the Cat (2014).

88  pages

ISBN: 978-1-906075-91-0