The Critic
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Name: The Critic
Brand: Richard Brinsley Sheridan
SKU: 9780713631883
Rating: 3.48 (105 reviews)

The Critic Book Cover — The Critic Cover

Highlights

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Unit Set/Multiple SettingsBritish Comedy

What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the comedic elements and the entertaining nature of the play, enjoying its wit and humor. Many find it a refreshing break from heavier material, though some note it lacks a strong storyline and may not appeal to all tastes, particularly those less fond of satire.

Witty and humorousGreat edition of a classicProvides a fun escapeLacks a strong storylineNot for everyone

Synopsis

The Critic was Sheridan's response to a very specific political and theatrical situation.

In the summer of 1779, a Franco-Spanish invasion seemed imminent and patriotic fervour superseded party divisions and personal animosities.

The Critic satirises the panic of the summer in the form of the comically misconceived tragedy 'The Spanish Armada' that is in rehearsal in the second and third acts, but The Critic ends with genuine patriotic feeling.

This edition traces both the political and the theatrical objects of Sheridan's satire and discusses its reliance (and improvement) on earlier meta-theatrical burlesques like The Duke of Buckingham's Restoration romp The Rehearsal.

ThemesEnglish drama Drama in English, 1745-1800 - Texts

Press Reviews

"…delightful…arch, witty and farcical…Although the critic is the putative target of [the play], no one engaged in the theater game comes out unscathed. Hatcher’s adaptation jabs the playwright, producer and director…a thoroughly enjoyable evening in the theater…” —Star Tribune (MN). “[A] streamlined and metastasized update…a wild, fun-filled riot with laughs aplenty…” —Washington City Paper “…turns the tables on the vanity, presumptuousness and solipsism of the criticizing business, in ways gleefully entertaining—and often right on the mark."
— Washington Post