The Rivals, written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy in five acts that premiered in 1775. The play revolves around Lydia Languish, who wishes to marry for love and into poverty, and Captain Jack Absolute, who woos her under a false identity. The plot is complicated by various characters, including Sir Anthony Absolute, Jack's father; Sir Lucius O'Trigger, an Irish baronet; and Mrs. Malaprop, Lydia's aunt known for her malapropisms. The play satirizes the societal norms and romantic sentiments of the time, featuring a cast of memorable characters and showcasing Sheridan's wit and theatrical skill[2][4][5].
The first night of Richard Sheridan’s classic comedy ‘The Rivals’ did not go according to plan. Critics thought it was too long, the Irish gentry in the audience were insulted, and an actor was pelted with rotten fruit. It closed after one performance on 17th January, 1775.
But then… after eleven days of rewrites, recasting and edits (a process Sheridan called “prunings, trimmings and patchings”), the show re-opened - and became the much-loved hit it remains to this day.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly expose how Sheridan exploited his notoriety in Bath to put bums on seats; unpick how the play’s famous ‘Malapropisms’ achieved seminal status; and revisit the best of Sheridan’s real-life one-liners…
Further Reading:
• ‘The scourge of Bath’ (The Guardian, 2004): https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/may/15/theatre
• The Dramatic Works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Cavan Library): http://www.cavanlibrary.ie/file/Local-Studies/Library-Scanned-Docs/The_dramatic_works_of_Richard_Brinsley_Sheridan.pdf
• ‘What Are Malapropisms?’ (Bright Idea, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMdgr-qSAfM
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