Audiobooks by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

The School for Scandal, The Rivals & The Duenna: Three Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Productions

"Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the Anglo-Irish playwright and Whig politician, left an indelible mark on English literature and theatre. This collection of Sheridan’s classic comedies showcases his sharp wit and keen eye for social pretensions, making it a must-have for lovers of timeless, satirical theatre. His witty, satirical dramas continue to captivate audiences, as evidenced by the Royal Shakespeare Company's recent 2024 production of The School for Scandal. Sheridan's enduring appeal makes his works a treasure trove for BBC listeners who cherish classic, witty dramas. Set in 1770s London, Sheridan’s The School for Scandal is a brilliantly biting comedy of manners. Lady Sneerwell takes pleasure in ruining reputations, targeting bachelor Charles Surface. Together with Charles’ conniving brother Joseph, Sneerwell orchestrates schemes of intrigue and infidelity. Cast includes Barbara Mitchell, Rolf Lefebvre and Maurice Denham. The Rivals is a delightful comedy where Captain Jack Absolute assumes the persona of a poor army officer to woo Lydia Languish, under the nose of her guardian, Mrs Malaprop. Set in 18th-century Bath, the play explores Lydia's reaction upon learning the truth. Cast includes Flora Robson, Denys Hawthorne, Peter Pratt, Rosalind Shanks In The Duenna, Don Jerome arranges for his daughter, Louisa, to marry a wealthy merchant, but she loves Don Antonio. Louisa seeks help from a duenna to outwit her father’s plans. Casts include: Denis Quilley, Jane Wenham, Patricia Routledge, Barrie Ingham."

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), Alan Dudley, Alexander John, Barbara Mitchell, Christopher Bidmead, David March, Denis Quilley, Denys Hawthorne, Dorothy Tutin, Flora Robson, Haydn Jones, Maurice Denham, Patricia Routledge, Peter Pratt, Ronald Herdman, William Ingram (Narrator)

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The Rivals

"The play is set in Bath in the 18th century, a town legendary for conspicuous consumption and fashion at the time. Wealthy, fashionable people went there to "take the waters", which were believed to have healing properties. The plot centres on the two young lovers, Lydia and Jack. Lydia, who reads a lot of popular novels of the time, wants a purely romantic love affair. To court her, Jack pretends to be "Ensign Beverley", a poor officer. Lydia is enthralled with the idea of eloping with a poor soldier in spite of her guardian, Mrs. Malaprop, a moralistic widow. Mrs. Malaprop is the chief comic figure of the play, thanks to her continual misuse of words that sound like the words she intends but mean something completely different. (The term malapropism was coined in reference to the character.) Lydia has two other suitors: Bob Acres (a somewhat buffoonish country gentleman), and Sir Lucius O'Trigger, an impoverished and combative Irish gentleman. Sir Lucius pays Lucy to carry love notes between him and Lydia (who uses the name "Delia"), but Lucy is swindling him: "Delia" is actually Mrs. Malaprop. (Summary by Wikipedia)"

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), LibriVox Volunteers (Narrator)

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The School For Scandal

"Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedy was first performed in 1777 and focuses on the intrigues and scandals of the British upper classes. Lady Sneerwell wants to marry Charles Surface, while Joseph Surface wants to marry Maria, an heiress and ward of Sir Peter Teazle. Maria, however, prefers Charles over Joseph. In order to detach her from Charles, Lady Sneerwell and Joseph spread rumors about an affair between Charles and Lady Teazle, Sir Peter's new young wife. Meanwhile, Sir Oliver Surface, newly returned from the East Indies, assumes various disguises to test his nephews' characters. Misunderstandings, mistaken identities, gossip, and bad behavior abound in this uproarious comedy. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)"

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), LibriVox Volunteers (Narrator)

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The Rivals: A Radio Dramatization

"Both Sheridan and Goldsmith lamented the popularity of sentimental comedy in the later eighteenth century and wrote their witty and satirical plays (though never lascivious in the manner of Restoration comedies) to counteract the sentimental mode. The Rivals (1775) was a qualified success: the suave young officer who is 'forced' by his father to marry the very girl to whom he is secretly engaged must always please; but first audiences were as uncertain as later critics about how to evaluate his neurotic friend Faulkland, who invents a series of caveats for his marriage to the earnest Julia. A country squire who becomes alarmingly foppish in town, an impetuous Irishman and the linguistically challenged Mrs Malaprop complete the cast."

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), The Colonial Radio Players (Narrator)

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The The Rivals

"Romantic havoc ensues in the town of Bath when Sir Anthony arrives to arrange the marriage of his son Captain Jack Absolute to the wealthy Lydia Languish. Jack and Lydia are already in love, but because of Lydia’s obsession with romantic novels, Jack has disguised himself as a poor officer named Ensign Beverly - and he is only one of Lydia’s many suitors. The Rivals was Sheridan’s first play, and this charming comedy of manners continues to be widely performed today. Includes an interview with Linda Kelly, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the author of Richard Brinsley Sheridan: A Life. Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood, in May 2011. Adapted for Radio and Directed by: Martin Jarvis Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg An L.A. Theatre Works Full-Cast Performance Featuring: Rosalind Ayres as Mrs. Malaprop Kenneth Danziger as Thomas Lucy Davis as Lydia Languish Neil Dickson as David Sarah Drew as Julia Julian Holloway as Sir Lucius OÕTrigger Christopher Neame as Sir Anthony Absolute Lloyd Owen as Captain Jack Absolute Moira Quirk as Lucy Alan Shearman as Fag Simon Templeman as Bob Acres Matthew Wolf as Faulkland Associate Producer: Christina Montaño Recording, Editing, and Mixing Engineer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood Sound Effects Artist: Tony Palermo"

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), Alan Shearman, Christopher Neame, Julian Holloway, Kenneth Danziger, Lloyd Owen, Lucy Davis, Matthew Wolf, Moira Quirk, Neil Dickson, Rosalind Ayres, Sarah Drew, Simon Templeman (Narrator)

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The School for Scandal

"Beware the gossips! Lady Sneerwell and her hireling Snake are certainly up to no good in this timeless send-up of hypocritical manners. Thanks to their scandal-mongering, the comely Lady Teazle must fend off the slanderous barbs that have caught the ear of her elderly husband - as well as every other gossip in London! What follows is a torrent of mistaken identities and sex-crazed scheming in which the upper classes have never looked so low class. Includes an interview with Michael Hackett, the Chair of the Department of Theater in the School of Theater, Film and Television at the University of California-Los Angeles. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Stuart Bunce as Charles Surface Jane Carr as Mrs. Candour John H. Francis as Rowley and others Henri Lubatti as Snake, Moses and others Christopher Neame as Sir Oliver Surface Moira Quirk as Maria and Maid Julian Sands as Joseph Surface Susan Sullivan as Lady Sneerwell Tara Summers as Lady Teazle Simon Templeman as Sir Peter Teazle James Warwick as Crabtree and others Matthew Wolf as Sir Benjamin Backbite Directed by Michael Hackett. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles."

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), Various Performers (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Rivals

"A comedy of manners in five acts, The Rivals was Sheridan's second commercially produced play. The play is set in Bath in the 18th century, a town legendary for conspicuous consumption and fashion at the time. Wealthy, fashionable people went there to 'take the waters', which were believed to have healing properties. Bath was much less exclusive than London, and provides an ideal setting for the characters. The plot centres around the two young lovers, Lydia and Jack. Lydia, who reads a lot of popular novels of the time, wants a purely romantic love affair. To court her, Jack pretends to be 'Ensign Beverley', a poor officer. Lydia is enthralled with the idea of eloping with a poor soldier in spite of her guardian, Mrs. Malaprop, a moralistic widow."

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), Edith Evans (Narrator)

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