The Rivals

Directed By: Sylvia Finnimore
Written By: Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Presented By: Sedos

“COME, COME, WE MUST LAY ASIDE SOME OF OUR ROMANCE - A LITTLE WEALTH AND COMFORT MAY BE ENDURED AFTER ALL”

Wealthy, head-strong beauty, Lydia Languish, wants to marry a poor man to offend her guardian Aunt and hopefully prompt a romantic elopement. Jack Absolute, himself a wealthy man, learns of this, and adopts the fake identity of Beverley, a poorly paid Ensign, in order to win her affections.

From this deception, many complications arise with hilarious consequences, not least because she has two other eager suitors in the shape of Bob Acres and Sir Lucius O’Trigger.

This pedigree comedy is too often staged simply as an academic opportunity to study the period. It is here to be presented as the fine situation comedy it is and it will definitely be played for laughs. That, after all, was the writer’s intention.