The first night of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The School for Scandal, on 8 May 1777, was one of the great dates in theatrical history.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedies were all written by the time he was twenty-eight. At a time when politics were dominated by a few aristocratic families, he rose above his poverty to become one of the greatest parliamentary figures of the age. This title gives a comprehensive picture of Sheridan's tempestuous career and chaotic private life.