George Colman the Elder – författare

The Rivals and Polly Honeycombe revolve around young women who wish the world would conform to novelistic convention. Unlike most eighteenth-century heroines keen on novel reading, however, Lydia Languish and Polly Honeycombe are neither deluded nor in any real danger. Rather, they inhabit a world in which everyone is engaged in some sort of quixotic performance; the more appealing characters are just willing to admit it. Both farcical and wise, these plays teasingly celebrate the perennial appeal of fiction, while never letting us forget how much it relies upon the everyday rituals of performance.

The introduction to this Broadview edition explores the interrelations between print and performance in the eighteenth century, including a detailed and well-illustrated account of what it was like to go to the theater. Appendices include material on the original casts, the often dubious reputation of novel reading and circulating libraries, Sheridan’s high-profile elopement with Elizabeth Linley (which made him a celebrity before he ever staged a word), and the narrative possibilities conjured up by setting The Rivals in the resort city of Bath.

George Colman was born in Florence, Italy, in April 1732, where his father was stationed as British Resident Minister to the court of the Grand duke of Tuscany.

Before his first birthday Colman’s father had died and his well-being was now in the hands of his Father’s sister and her husband, William Pulteney, the later Lord Bath

Colman initially attended a private school in Marylebone before being sent to the exclusive Westminster School.

From there Colman went to Christ Church, Oxford. Whilst there he met Bonnell Thornton, the parodist, and together they founded ‘The Connoisseur’ periodical (1754–1756), which ran for 140 editions.

After taking his degree in 1755 Colman left Oxford and entered Lincoln''s Inn. He was called to the bar in 1757. Despite a friendship forming with David Garrick and the promise of a literary career Colman decided that out of respect for Lord Bath he would continue to also practice law.

In 1760, Colman produced his first play, ‘Polly Honeycomb’. It was a great success. The following year, 1761, he followed up with ‘The Jealous Wife’, a comedy partly founded on Henry Fielding’s ‘Tom Jones’. It made Colman famous.

On 21st October 1762 his son, George Colman the Younger, was born. He too would follow in his fathers’ footsteps in education and career.

In 1764 with the death of Lord Bath and a substantial inheritance Colman was now financially secure and could also stop his law career to work solely on literature.

In 1765, his metrical translation of the six plays of Terence was published. The following year, 1766, in partnership with David Garrick, came another success: ‘The Clandestine Marriage’. The only blot was when Colman quarreled with Garrick’s refusal to take the part of Lord Ogleby.

With the arrival of 1767 Colman decided to expand his interests by acquiring a quarter share in the Covent Garden Theatre. When his play ‘The Oxonian in Town’ was performed there on 9th November that year a riot ensued, apparently sparked by a claque of card-sharpers.

Colman was elected to the Literary Club, in 1768, then nominally consisting of twelve members. In 1771 Thomas Arne''s masque ‘The Fairy Prince’ premièred at Covent Garden, for which Colman wrote the libretto.

His instincts as a theatrical impresario were sound. As well as part-owner he was also the acting manager of Covent Garden for seven years during which he produced several ‘adapted’ plays of Shakespeare. He also directed the première of ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ in 1773.

In 1774 he sold to James Leake his share of Covent Garden, which had involved him in much litigation with his partners, and three years later, in 1777, he purchased the little theatre in the Haymarket from Samuel Foote.

George Colman suffered badly from attacks of paralysis in 1785 and his health became both failing and a burden. By 1789 his brain had become affected, and he died on 14th August 1794. He was buried in Kensington Church.

David Garrick was today’s equivalent of a celebrity actor who could also write, produce, manage, and all of it based on prodigious talents. His career dramatically changed the course of what acting was, introducing a realistic style that was quickly imitated by almost everyone.

With his talents as a director, writer and theatre management, together with an ear for what the fickle audience wanted, he helped the Drury Lane Theatre become, and remain, one of the leading theatres in Europe.

His adaptations of Shakespeare were very well regarded, and his own original writing also found an audience. In addition, he adapted many older plays in the theatrical repertoire that were slipping into insignificance. These included many from the Restoration era. In essence while influencing the theatre towards a higher standard he also gained am enhanced reputation for theatre people and their careers.