The text of this edition is transcribed from that of George Nettleton, with additions or deletions set off in brackets. Also included are the dedicatory 'Portrait Addressed to Mrs Crewe', Garrick's 'Prologue', and G Colman's 'Epilogue'. Edited by John Loftis, this edition of The School for Scandal for performance and study also includes an introduction, a list of principal dates in the life of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and a selected bibliography.
Richly exploited comic situations, effervescent wit, and intricate plots combine to make Sheridan's work among the best of of all English comedy. The School for Scandal (1777) is his masterpiece, a brilliantly crafted comedy of contrasts in which brothers Joseph and Charles Surface contend for Maria, with hilariously differing intentions and results. Also a work of acute comic irony, The Rivals satirizes the romantic posturing of Lydia Languish while her disguised suitor Captain Absolute's resourceful contrivances advance an ever inventive and skilfully wrought plot. Included in this edition are the opera play The Duenna and the rarely printed musical play A Trip to Scarborough, adapted from Vanbrugh's The Relapse. Sheridan's last play, The Critic, is an exuberant parody of the modish tragic drama of the day. Lampooning Sir Fretful Plagiary's absurdly bombastic historical drama during its confused stages of production, its satire never fails to delight. The texts of the plays have been newly edited by the General Editor of the Oxford World's Classics English Drama series. A fine introduction and notes on Sheridan's playhouses and critical inheritance make this an invaluable edition for study and performance alike. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Often called the best comedy of manners in English, and one of the most produced of all theatre classics, this delightful play brilliantly displays Sheridan's mastery of the mechanics of stage comedy, his flair for witty dialogue, and his obvious delight in skewering the affectation and pretentiousness of aristocratic Londoners of the 1770s. Publisher's Note.
