The ten plays in this new collection show both the continuity and the changes in comedy over the course of the Restoration and eighteenth century. Each play includes its original prologue and epilogue, as well as an historical introduction and full annotation. The editor’s Introduction provides a rich historical and literary context for the plays’ composition and production. A glossary of frequently used words likely to be unfamiliar to general readers is also included.

Brian Corman is a professor and chair of the Department of English at the University of Toronto.

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“This volume is a terrific addition to Broadview’s range of texts for students. Brian Corman’s comprehensive general introduction clearly situates the plays in their cultural and theatrical context and elucidates eighteenth-century debates about comedy. Many of the texts in the appendix are made available here to students for the first time and will greatly enhance their study of the drama of the period. This volume offers editions of the plays ideal for classroom use and the contextual material necessary in order to better understand Restoration and eighteenth-century comedy.” — Fiona Ritchie, McGill University

“The new Broadview Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Comedy is a welcome addition to the field. Corman’s introduction is a short course in the history of stage comedy, which illuminates and contextualizes his selection of plays and critical resources. The inclusion of prologues, epilogues, and a very useful selection of contemporary critical material from Dryden, Dennis, Cibber, Hill, and others make this anthology a wonderful resource for the classroom.” — Misty Anderson, University of Tennessee