01787cam a22002777a 4500 101026s2008 enk b 001 0 eng d 9781851969715 1851969713 SDU PR3438 H435 E 2008 Heard, Elisabeth J. 198886 Experimentation on the English stage, 1695-1708 : the career of George Farquhar / Elizabeth J. Heard. London : Pickering & Chatto, 2008. 170 p. HKBU Library At the beginning of the eighteenth century, British theatre saw a shift from what critics now call 'Restoration' to 'sentimental' comedy. Focusing on the career of the Irish dramatist George Farquhar (1678-1707), Heard argues that experimentation was the basis for this change. Farquhar's first play, "Love and a Bottle" (1698) relied on outdated plot devices and character types. By contrast, his final two plays, "The Recruiting Officer" (1706) and "The Beaux Stratagem" (1707) used creative new elements to connect with English audiences. Over ten years, Farquhar and his contemporaries experimented with characters, plot lines, and dialogue in an attempt to woo their audiences. In doing so they initiated a new era in British comedy. Farquhar, George, 1677?-1707 Technique. 198887 Farquhar, George, 1677?-1707 Stories, plots, etc. 198888 Farquhar, George, 1677?-1707 Criticism and interpretation. 198889 English drama (Comedy) History and criticism. 198890 English drama 18th century History and criticism. English drama 17th century History and criticism. 198892 Sentimental comedies. 198893 = C.1 SDU GBE lcc 105561 105561 0 0 lcc 0 PR3438 H435 E2008 0 CGB 282864 SDU SDU GEN3 2025-09-23 2 PR3438 H435 E 2008 1000373220 2025-09-23 00:00:00 C.1 2025-09-23 GBE