John Bull

Or, The Englishman's Fireside: A Comedy, in Five Acts

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About this book

At a struggling inn on a Cornish heath, landlord Dennis Brulgruddery and his servant Dan trade complaints about bad beer, sick pigs and the shortage of customers. Their banter sets the tone for George Colman's five-act comedy, John Bull. Written for performance, the play uses dialect, quick replies and interruptions to turn everyday worries into stage humour.

Money and marriage bring another set of tensions into view. Lady Caroline Braymore considers marrying Frank Rochdale to ease her father's debts, while Tom Shuffleton takes advantage of a private conversation to press his own claims. Her sharp answers make his polished manners look increasingly foolish. The edition also includes Mrs. Inchbald's remarks on the comedy and its appeal to theatre audiences. Readers interested in British stage comedy can find both broad comic business and pointed exchanges about generosity, family duty and social position.

About the author

George Colman

George Colman worked throughout English theatre, writing, managing, and adapting plays with a stagecraft that joined literary comedy to the practical demands of performance. A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from Shakespeare (1763) reshapes material from A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.