Tickets, price £10 can be bought from

Henry Paddon Contemporary Arts
The Gallery, 113 South Street
Eastbourne BN21 4LU
Tel: 01323 411887
Open Tues – Sat 10am to 5.30 p.m. (out of hours answerphone)

A riotous, classic costume drama, The Rivals is a story of love, disguise, disinheritance, duels and deception. From its very first presentation at London’s Covent Garden Theatre on 17th January 1775, The Rivals has been delighting audiences with its wit  and false identities.

The idealistic Lydia Languish reads nothing but romantic novels and in so doing believes she can only find true love in the arms of a man without wealth. Captain Jack Absolute has fallen in love with her and pretends to be a penniless ensign to win her heart. Coming between these two lovers are some of the most extraordinary comic characters ever to grace the stage: the autocratic Sir Anthony Absolute, the misspeaking Mrs Malaprop, the fiery Irishman Sir Lucius O’Trigger and poor Bob Acres, a country squire who finds himself with a duelling pistol in his hand. At the same time, an equally fraught love match runs between Lydia’s great friend, Julia and her almost insanely jealous beau Faulkland.

Come to the gardens and enjoy the time-honoured tradition of picnicking on the lawns overlooking the sea before taking your seats in the auditorium.

Make yourself comfortable (rugs, cushions, torch, etc.) and spoil yourself with our delicious cakes, wine, juice, tea and coffee in the interval.

 

R.B. Sheridan was born in Dublin in 1751, the son of Thomas Sheridan an actor-manager who managed the Theatre Royal, Dublin for a time, and Frances Sheridan, a writer. Educated at Harrow School, Sheridan planned to study law until a highly romantic elopement with Elizabeth Linley forced him to pursue more immediate means of financial success to support his young wife.

At the tender age of 23 he completed his first play, The Rivals, which was produced at Covent Garden in 1775. Opening night was not a success but after some judicious recasting, the play became a hit and young Sheridan’s reputation grew. Having quickly made his name and fortune, Sheridan bought a share in Drury Lane and went on to write such standards as The School for Scandal (1777), A Trip to Scarborough (1777) and The Critic (1779).

Sheridan was, however, plagued by writer’s block and was not a prolific playwright, although he also penned poetry, and parliamentary speeches during his time as a leading Whig politician. Sheridan died in poverty in 1816 and is buried in Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey.