TY  - BOOK
AU  - Heard,Elisabeth J.
TI  - Experimentation on the English stage, 1695-1708: the career of George Farquhar 
SN  - 9781851969715
AV  - PR3438 H435 E 2008
PY  - 2008///
CY  - London
PB  - Pickering & Chatto
KW  - Farquhar, George,
KW  - English drama (Comedy)
KW  - History and criticism
KW  - English drama
KW  - 18th century
KW  - 17th century
KW  - Sentimental comedies
N1  - HKBU Library
N2  - 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 Farquhar's first play, "Love and a Bottle" (1698) relied on outdated plot devices and character types.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
ER  -