Now in the thick of the rehearsal process, I am tickled daily by Sheridan’s effervescent comedy of the collision of love and romance with a highly structured society built on propriety, obligation and duty. Driven by love yet so afraid that they might not be loved for themselves, its characters pursue assumed identities, fretful intrigues, passionate sighing and ridiculous quarrels to the brink of comic disaster. The play refreshes me throughout with its wit and humor so lacking in bitterness or irony, and the perils of falling in love and yearning to have that love genuinely returned ring just as charmingly true and silly to me here and now as they clearly did to Sheridan 200 years ago. Welcome to The Rivals.

—Matthew Arbour

"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."
—Robert Frost

"I like not only to be loved, but to be told that I am loved".
—George Eliot

"Life is one fool thing after another whereas love is two fool things after each other."
—Oscar Wilde

On Bath

Located on the western side of England, Bath was the trendiest resort vacation spot of the eighteenth century. Since ancient Celtic and Roman times, people have been drawn to the mineral springs at Bath. From the first century, when the Romans built temples at the springs, the waters were believed to have healing and restorative qualities. After a visit from Queen Anne in 1702, Bath gained popularity as a vacation spot.

In large part due to its popularity with royals, Bath's population grew from 2,000 to 30,000 through the eighteenth century, and the growth brought on new architecture and new structure to the city. The Royal Crescent, designed by John Wood the Younger, is considered one of the finest achievements of eighteenth-century Palladian architecture.

Bath had city-wide rules: swearing and swords were expressly forbidden (though hidden duels still took place), and there was a city-wide schedule organized by Beau Nash, Bath's self-appointed Master of Ceremonies, that dictated when to go to the pump room, when to go dancing, and when one had free time. Surprisingly, for the most part, people obeyed the rules. Bath was one of the few places in eighteenth-century England where members of different classes coexisted easily and would mingle together.

In addition to the restorative qualities of the waters, Bath was well-known as a place for love. Young people would dream of visiting the city for the opportunity to attend the dances and meet members of the opposite sex. Maids and servants frequently served as go-betweens, and many a romance flourished because of their work. Above all, Bath was a place to see and be seen. The fashions were a step above what people might wear at home; the dresses were a little fancier, the colors a little brighter, everything a little grander. All these things make Bath the perfect location for Sheridan's The Rivals.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Richard Brinsley Sheridan was an actor's son who played the part of a gentleman.
Born in Dublin, Ireland in October 1751, Sheridan was the son of playwrights Thomas Sheridan and Frances Sheridan, and godson to satirist Jonathan Swift. Sheridan was educated at the Harrow school, by a private tutor, and by his father in a variety of subjects from elocution to swordplay. In 1770, the Sheridan family moved to Bath where Richard met Elizabeth Anne Linley, daughter of composer Thomas Linley. The two became friends, and, after Richard helped Eliza escape her persistent suitor Captain Matthew, the two eloped in 1772. Sheridan fought two duels with Matthew for Eliza's honor and his own.

In 1774, at the age of 23 and desperate for income, Sheridan wrote The Rivals, a play based on his and Eliza's experiences in Bath. After a bad opening night, he revised the play and it opened again eleven days later as a success. The same year, Sheridan wrote the play St. Patrick's Day and the comic opera The Duenna.
A year later, after becoming manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Sheridan produced his version of Vanbrugh's The Relapse titled A Trip to Scarborough, and then The School for Scandal. Considered one of Sheridan's masterpieces along with The Rivals, The School for Scandal drew the largest audience of any play staged at that time.

Sheridan wrote other less popular plays in the next few years as his attention shifted to political life. In 1780, Sheridan entered Parliament for Stafford. Sheridan was considered one of the best orators of his time, and his speeches were studied by Thomas Jefferson. After Eliza’s death, Sheridan was remarried to Esther Jane Ogle. In 1812, Sheridan failed to renew his seat in Parliament. His mounting debts, which his creditors had ignored while he was in Parliament, ultimately led to a brief imprisonment and he unfortunately lived the last few years of his life in poverty. Sheridan died on July 7, 1816, and was buried with honors in the poet's corner of Westminster Abbey.