The Constant Couple
The Constant Couple | |
---|---|
Late 18th-century depiction of a scene from the play. | |
Written by | George Farquhar |
Date premiered | 28 November 1699 |
Place premiered | Drury Lane Theatre, London |
Original language | English |
Genre | Restoration Comedy |
The Constant Couple is a 1699 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar. It is part of the Restoration comedy tradition, and is often described as a sentimental comedy. It marked the first major success of Farquhar's career. A series of comic misunderstandings are triggered when three rivals vie for the hand of the wealthy heiress Lady Lurewell.
It was staged at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. The original cast included Robert Wilks as Sir Harry Wildair, George Powell as Standard, John Mills as Vizard, Benjamin Johnson as Smugler, William Pinkethman as Clincher Senior, William Bullock as Clincher Junior, Henry Norris as Dicky, Joseph Haines as Tom Errand, Susanna Verbruggen as Lurewell, Jane Rogers as Angelica, Mary Powell as Lady Darling and Henrietta Moore as Parly. The hero and most popular character, the rakish Sir Harry Wildair was revived for a sequel Sir Harry Wildair in 1701.[1]
For several decades the part of Sir Harry was strongly identified with the actor Robert Wilks, and became his signature role. It was later taken over by the Irish actress Peg Woffington, who performed it as a breeches role.[2] Dorothea Jordan also played the part as did Samuel Foote. Actresses who have played the role of Lady Lurewell included Anne Oldfield and Hannah Pritchard. William Bullock appeared in the original run as Clincher.
Numerous revivals of the play have taken place over subsequent centuries.
References
Bibliography
- Morash, Christopher. A History of Irish Theatre 1601-2000. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
External links
- The Constant Couple public domain audiobook at LibriVox
- v
- t
- e
- The Cutter of Coleman Street (1661)
- The Adventures of Five Hours (1663)
- The Comical Revenge (1664)
- The Mulberry-Garden (1668)
- She Would If She Could (1668)
- An Evening's Love (1668)
- Sir Solomon Single (1670)
- Love in a Wood (1671)
- The Rehearsal (1671)
- Epsom Wells (1672)
- Marriage à la mode (1672)
- The Country Wife (1675)
- Love in the Dark (1675)
- The Country Wit (1676)
- The Plain-Dealer (1676)
- The Man of Mode (1676)
- Tom Essence (1676)
- A Fond Husband (1677)
- Friendship in Fashion (1678)
- Squire Oldsapp (1678)
- Tunbridge Wells (1678)
- A True Widow (1678)
- The Woman Captain (1679)
- The London Cuckolds (1681)
- Sir Barnaby Whigg (1681)
- The Royalist (1682)
- City Politiques (1683)
- Dame Dobson (1683)
- A Commonwealth of Women (1685)
- Sir Courtly Nice (1685)
- Bellamira (1687)
- A Fool's Preferment (1688)
- The Squire of Alsatia (1688)
- Bury Fair (1689)
- The Fortune Hunters (1689)
- The English Friar (1690)
- Sir Anthony Love (1690)
- Love for Money (1691)
- The Wives Excuse (1691)
- Greenwich Park (1691)
- The Marriage-Hater Matched (1692)
- The Volunteers (1692)
- The Canterbury Guests (1694)
- The Married Beau (1694)
- Love for Love (1695)
- Love's Last Shift (1696)
- The Relapse (1696)
- The Campaigners (1698)
- Love and a Bottle (1698)
- The Constant Couple (1699)
- The Way of the World (1700)
- Sir Harry Wildair (1701)
- The Lying Lover (1703)
- The Careless Husband (1704)
- The Recruiting Officer (1706)
- The Beaux' Stratagem (1707)
- Bedlam
- Chocolate houses
- Comedy of manners
- Court
- Dorset Garden
- Drury Lane
- Fleet Prison
- Hedonism
- The Libertine (1994)
- The Libertine (film)
- Libertinism
- Lincoln's Inn Fields
- Mode
- Restoration of Charles II
- Second Anglo-Dutch War
- Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage
- Wit
This article on a play from the 17th century is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e