Matthew Hopkins, a renowned witch-hunter, has his sights set on the quiet village near Pendell Manor. However Cecile Howard and her friends are determined to put an end to his superstitious nonsense, put an end to his reign of terror, and teach him a lesson he won't soon forget! - Summary by Kelly S. Taylor Cast list: The Witch Wife: A Tale of Malkin Tower by Henry Spicer BC/Editor for this play is Kelly S. Taylor Sir Gerald Mole: Mike Manolakes Marchmont Needham: Cavaet Antony Gabb: Parsa2020 Harry...

The hero of the book is at a loose end, weary and bored of his old life after returning from the Great War. After an argument with his uncle and a railway strike he finds himself lost in the county of Norfolk at ten o’clock one night. When he seeks shelter in a country home, the butler immediately recognizes him as “Mr. Alfred”, the missing son of the house. From that point onwards, our hero, who gives his name as “James Smith”, finds himself in for an exciting time.Not only does he inherit the friends of “Mr...

A romantic comedy, written in 1918, but with a modern feel to it. Patricia Brent one day overhears two fellow-boarders pitying her because she “never has a nice young man to take her out”. In a thoughtless moment of anger she announces that the following night she will be dining out with her fiance. When she arrives at the restaurant the next day, she finds some of the fellow-boarders there to watch her, so, rendered reckless by the thought of the humiliation of being found out, she goes up to a young man sitting alone at a table, and asks him to help her by “playing up”. Countless complications and adventures ensue…

This Book is a collection of humorous short stories which describe the comedy in everyday things and situations.

Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb was born on June 23, 1876. At seventeen years of age, he began writing for the Paducah Daily News, his hometown paper. At nineteen he became the managing editor; up to that point, our nation’s youngest. He worked as a columnist, a humorist and an author. But ‘horror,’ and ’short stories,’ are not why he is remembered. He is remembered because he was, and still is, funny. And although he is now dead–he died March 11, 1944–this work “Cobb’s Anatomy,” among others, has left an indelible mark upon mankind: a smile.

From the author of Peter Pan:Lord Loam, a British peer, considers class divisions to be artificial. He promotes his views during tea-parties where servants mingle with his aristocratic guests, to the embarrassment of all. Crichton, his butler, particularly disapproves of this.Loam, his family, a maid, and Crichton are shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. The resourceful Crichton is the only one of the party with any practical knowledge. Eventually, social roles are reversed, and Crichton becomes the governor.

The soul of Irish wit is captured in this unique tale of a barstool philosopher, the concluding story from 'Here Are Ladies' by James Stephens. (Introduction by iremonger)

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is a book about the life of Catherine Morland and her romantic relationships. The novel is divided into two parts; the first part begins with Catherine’s visit to Bath and her relationship with Henry Tilney and the other people she met there, and the second part starts with the arrival of Frederick Tilney and her visit to Northanger Abbey. This book alongside Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility is considered one of the major works of Jane Austen. The novel had undergone many revisions before its publication and it was even originally titled “Catherine...

Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow, published in 1886, is a collection of humorous essays by Jerome K. Jerome. It was the author’s second published book and helped establish him as a leading English humorist. The book consists of 14 independent articles arranged by themes.

A comic look at the curious habits and customs of the inhabitants of ‘Stage Land’. Dedicated to ‘that highly respectable but unnecessarily retiring individual, of whom we hear so much but see so little, “the earnest student of drama”

"It is so sad when relations don't get on together." "Sadder still when they think they've got a right to trample on you, just because you happen to be an orphan and - I don't want to talk about my relations. I want to forget them. I stood them for nearly six months. I don't want to be reminded of them. I want to forget that they ever existed." She is not going to have her wish. Oh, no, not at all. A comedy. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Fanny: Devorah Allen Vernon Wetherell, Lord Bantock...

Some confusion over a farm and an unexpected inheritance, with expectations of someone who is holding such a position. "You have rather a countrified walk, if you will forgive me for saying so — a more neglige style is adopted by the savoir vivre now, sir, and a more insouciant manner of carrying the umbrella. You walk too much in this way, sir." "Lord love us, do I walk like that?" "Just like that, sir. You see yourself, sir, what a very undestingue appearance it presents." - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Piffin: ToddHW Allen Rollitt: Greg Giordano Luke Cranbourne: Beeswaxcandle Mike Stratton: redrun Mr...

Why Marry? is a comedy, which "tells the truth about marriage". We find a family in the throes of proving the morality of marriage to a New Age Woman. Can the family defend marriage to this self-supporting girl? Will she be convinced that marriage is the ultimate sacredness of a relationship or will she hold to her perception that marriage is the basis of separating two lovers."Why Marry?" won the first Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

John Dryden and William D'Avenant's Restoration adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest preserves the main plot and characters of the original. Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, lives on an isolated island with his daughter Miranda, and plans to take revenge on his brother Antonio, who usurped his throne. He is aided by his servant, the airy sprite Ariel, and is hated by his other servant, the monster Caliban. Dryden and D'Avenant added in a number of characters: Dorinda, Prospero's other daughter, Hippolito, a young man who has never seen a woman, Sycorax, Caliban's sister, and more spirits and comic mariners...

John Fletcher's comedy (probably written and performed around 1611) is a sequel to Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, in which, as the title suggests, the tamer will be tamed. Petruchio, the shrew-tamer, has been widowed, and marries a second wife, Maria, a "chaste witty lady." At the instigation of her cousin Bianca, and with the fellowship of her sister Livia, Maria decides to go on strike for equal rights, refusing to behave as a proper 17th century wife. Fletcher's play addresses the issue of men and women's roles within marriage, a controversial issue for his day.

Albert, a handsome French pirate, and his crew get shipwrecked on a barren, rocky island after a severe storm. They encounter another pair of castaways who reveal a quite unusual secret- yet another strange group of people inhabit the island. Albert soon learns that these people are actually an Amazonian-like tribe of women, and proposes an alliance for the benefit of both parties. Love and hijinks ensue in a battle of the sexes.Notable for imitating many elements of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the collaborators also consulted nonfictional traveler's accounts to bring their vision to life...

A small play in three acts. A kind of comic tragedy. The plot tells the story of the interaction between two very different families in rural England just after the end of the First World War. Squire Hillcrist lives in the manor house where his family has lived for generations. He has a daughter, Jill, who is in her late teens; and a wife, Amy, as well as servants and retainers. He is "old money", although his finances are at a bit of low ebb. The other family is the "nouveau riche" Hornblowers,...

The Idiot is anything but, yet his fellow boarders at Mrs. Smithers-Pedagog’s home for single gentlemen see him as such. His brand of creative thought is dismissed as foolishness yet it continues to get under their skin, because when you’re beneath contempt you can say what you please. – This is the first of John Kendrick Bangs' “Idiot” books and was published by Harper and Brothers in 1895.

John Kendrick Bangs once again takes us on a journey with the loveable, but somewhat self-opinionated and irritating Mr Idiot.

This Restoration Comedy follows Lady Brute as she decides whether or not to cuckold her coarse and unloving husband. Not as brash and farcical as Vanbrugh's earlier play "The Relapse," "The Provoked Wife" comments on society and matrimony in a surprisingly modern way. - Summary by WendyKatzHiller Cast of Characters: Constant: Adrian Stephens Heartfree: Gred Giordano Sir John Brute: Alan Mapstone Treble, a Singing-Master : ToddHW Rasor, Valet de Chambre to Sir John Brute: Larry Wilson Justice of the Peace: Wayne Cooke Lord Rake, Companion to Sir John: Algy Pug Col...

This is a collection of various articles found in Morning Herald columns. Some are found interesting, some may be hilarious! The 84 pieces of this book are actual reports throughout the 1870s newspaper written by the reporter, John Wight and Illustrated by George Cruikshank

Lady Truman received word fourteen months ago that her husband, Sir George Truman, has died in battle. Now a very eligible widow with a large estate, she has more suitors than she knows what to do with. As if that wasn't enough, her house is now being haunted at night by the horrible and ghostly sound of a drum, apparently caused by the restless spirit of her husband. When an old man arrives who claims to be able to lay the spirit to rest, she is so desperate for relief that she determines to give him a chance...

A rich widow or two. An owner of 1000 acres of fine land. An heiress to the 1000 acres. Nefarious visitors of various sorts after the land, jewels, or whatever else they can get. Meddlers and neighbors. Faithful retainers and stalwart protectors. Comedy abounds. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Joshua Wicks, owner of "close onto 1,000 acres": Wayne Cooke Mr. Peter Schultz, sometimes vendor of sausages: Greg Giordano Mr. Barry Bland, an Englishman possessed of a shady reputation and a talkative...

Edward Hargraves, a young author, is encouraged by his mother and friend, Billy, to marry a woman in order to understand the fairer sex better and thereby characterize them better in his next book. While he attempts to follow their advice and marry Evangeline, a pleasant but rather uninteresting woman, a daring American reporter has set her eyes on him. She will stop at nothing to interview him and attract his attention. - Summary by Elsie Selwyn Cast List: Rev. Samuel Hargraves: ToddHWEdward Hargraves: Campbell SchelpWilliam “Billy” Lloyd: RHelfmannMrs. Hargraves: Anita Sloma-MartinezEvangeline Lipscomb: thestorygirlAnn Anning: EmmaHattonStage Directions: Elsie Selwyn Edited by: linny

The "Wives' Welfare Club" is meeting together so they may air grievances about their husbands and the inequality that women experience.  During this meeting the wives decide to "go on Strike" and nominate Jane Spink to be the test case.  Betty, who is a newlywed of only 30 days, boasts of her husband's perfect qualities and is amused at the other wives' complaints.  However, as she returns home she realizes she just might end up on strike as well! - Summary by Jenn BrodaCast List: Betty Albright,...

Ram Alley, or Merry Tricks, is a bawdy comedy by Lording Barry, a contemporary of Shakespeare. The production bankrupted Barry, landed him in debtor's jail, and set him off on a life of piracy. The action of Ram Alley takes place in a disreputable London lane where lawyers, lords, and ladies rub shoulders with prostitutes and vagabonds. One 19th century editor complained that it was "full of gross passages, allusions, and innuendoes," but more recent commentators have seen past the risque gags and recognised the play's wit, complexity, and intelligence...

No, not the famous “Of Mice and Men” you’re thinking of. Instead, we have a sweet romantic comedy that tells the story of a bachelor, Mr. Embury, who decides to conduct an experiment to see if he can create the perfect wife for himself. To do so, he chooses an orphaned girl named Peggy to become his ward and ultimately his wife. Peggy, however, thinks that Mr. Embury has plans for her to become the wife of his nephew, Captain Lovell, whom she believes is in love with another woman . A critic who was not fond of sentimental stories called this play a fairy story with a sincere spirit and one they could actually believe in...

Get the true story of Adam and Eve, straight from the source. This humorous text is a day-to-day account of Adam’s life from happiness in the “GARDEN-OF-EDEN” to their fall from grace and the events thereafter. Learn how Eve caught the infant Cain, and Adam takes some time to learn exactly what it is.

A Tramp Abroad is a work of non-fiction travel literature by American author Mark Twain, published in 1880. The book details a journey by the author, with his friend Harris (a character created for the book, and based on his closest friend, Joseph Twichell), through central and southern Europe. While the stated goal of the journey is to walk most of the way, the men find themselves using other forms of transport as they traverse the continent. The book is often thought to be an unofficial sequel to an earlier Twain travel book,The Innocents Abroad...

Eve's Diary is a comic short story by Mark Twain. It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper's Bazaar, and in book format in June 1906 by Harper and Brothers publishing house. It is written in the style of a diary kept by the first woman in the Judeao-Christian creation myth, Eve, and is claimed to be "translated from the original MS." The "plot" of this novel is the first-person account of Eve from her creation up to her burial by, her mate, Adam, including meeting and getting to know Adam, and exploring the world around her, Eden...

Mark Twain's (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance, a short volume, published by Sheldon & Co., NY in 1871, is Mark Twain's third book. It consists of two stories - First Romance, which had originally appeared in The Express in 1870, and A Burlesque Autobiography (bearing no relationship to Twain's actual life), which first appeared in Twain's Memoranda contributions to the Galaxy. Rather, the content consists of a few short stories of fictional characters who are supposedly part of Twain's lineage...

The American Claimant is an 1892 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The story focuses on the class differences and expectations of monarchic, hierarchical Britain and the upstart, "all men are created equal" America. Twain wrote the novel with the help of phonographic dictation, the first author (according to Twain himself) to do so. This was also (according to Twain) an attempt to write a book without mention of the weather, the first of its kind in fictitious literature. Indeed, all the weather is contained in an appendix, at the back of the book, which the reader is encouraged to turn to from time to time.

Written for the Atlantic magazine in 1877, this is a collection of stories about a trip Mark Twain made with some friends to Bermuda. It contains fascinating descriptions of Bermuda the island, and some of its people as well as an explanation of why Bermuda's houses are "so white".

Pride and Prejudice, a comedy of manners and marriage, is the most famous of Jane Austen's novels. In this dramatic adaption by Mary Keith Medbery Macakaye some liberties are taken with the storyline and characters, but it is still a fun listen or read. Perhaps a good introduction for someone not ready to tackle the complete novel ~ and for the reader familiar with the work, a laugh can be had at the changes that were made in order to adapt it to the stage

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. Among Molière's best-known works is Tartuffe or The Hypocrite, written in 1664. Though Tartuffe was received well by the public and even by Louis XIV, its popularity was lessened when the Archbishop of Paris issued an edict threatening excommunication for anyone who watched, performed in, or read the play.Tartuffe, a pious fraud who pretends to speak with divine authority, has insinuated himself into the household of Orgon...

The Imaginary Invalid is a three-act comédie-ballet by the French playwright Molière. It was first performed in 1673 and was the last work he wrote. The plot centers around Argan, the 'imaginary invalid' who is completely dependent on his doctors and wants to marry his daughter to a doctor against her will, so that he will always have medical care freely available to him. In an ironic twist of fate, Molière collapsed during his fourth performance as Argan on 17 February and died soon after.

"The history of Amphitryon and Alcmene, or rather the myth of the birth of Hercules, is certainly very old, and is to be found in the literature of different nations." Under Moliere's touch, it becomes "One of the most charming and natural comedies composed in French verse.... Sprightliness and vivacity abound in this comedy...." - Summary by Translator Henri Van Laun Cast list: Mercury, in the form of Sosia: Nemo Night: Eva Davis Jupiter, in the form of Amphitryon: Larry Wilson Mercury, in the...

In the month of May 1664, Louis XIV entertained the Queen-mother, Anne of Austria, and his own wife , Maria Theresa, with a brilliant and sumptuous fete at Versailles.... The second day was distinguished by the representation of The Pricess of Elis [by Moliere].... The Princess of Elis, a comedy-ballet, was intended to represent the struggle between the affections of the male and female sex, a struggle in which victory often remains with the one who seems the furthest from obtaining it.... The author's natural flow of wit and humor was checked by the necessity of accommodating himself to the conventionalities of courtly propriety...

Moliere, on the way to the Ballet of the Muses, a court festival, started to write a new Heroic Pastoral. "He chose for his subject a similar one to the history of Florizel and Perdita in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale…. The charm of his writing, the exquisite delicacy of the sentiment, and the freshness of the pastoral scenes, cause us to regret that Moliere wrote only the first two acts of this play and never finished it." Though it was performed this way in Dec 1666 - so maybe there is enough here to enjoy...

Amends for Ladies falls within the genre of Jacobean city comedy. Three women debate which has the better lot: a maid, a wife, or a widow. Lady Honour, the maid, is loved by her servant, Ingen, and disguises herself as a boy to become servant to him. Lady Perfect, the wife, is suspected by her husband, Love-all, of infidelity; Love-all tries to trap his wife by having his devious friend, Subtle, seduce her. A young citizen, Bold, disguises himself as an old woman to enter into the service of the widow, Lady Bright, in the hopes of gaining access to her bed...

A Comedy in Three Acts The Young Idea is a play about two siblings, Gerda eighteen and Sholto twenty-one, who attempt to engineer the reconciliation of their divorced parents. It is full of laughs, love-triangles, and a lot of DRAMA! - Summary by Ambsweet13 Cast List: George Brent: dgulinoGerda : Amanda MehlSholto: BucksawJennifer: JennPrattCicely: Claire ButlerPriscilla Hartleberry: JennPrattClaud Eccles: skypigeonJulia Cragworthy: ambsweet13Eustace Dabbit: Matthew ReeceSibyl Blaith: Jody LebelRodney Masters: Mike ManolakesHuddle : Larry WilsonHiram J. Walkin: skypigeonMaria : April6090Stage Directions: ToddHW Edited by: ambsweet13 and David Olson Proof Listening by: superk and Yangxu

In this delightful farce/comedy of manners, the eccentric and theatrical Bliss family invites four hapless guests to their English country house for the weekend. Hijinks ensue. - Summary by WendyKatzHillerCast List: Judith Bliss: WendyKatzHiller David Bliss: ToddHW Sorel Bliss: Jenn Broda Simon Bliss: Tchaikovsky Myra Arundel: Kelly S. Taylor Richard Greatham: Mike Manolakes Jackie Coryton: Jvisi Sandy Tyrell: CassiopeiaSparks Clara: C. Roxanne Maxwell Stage Directions: Jim Locke

An American diplomat's family moves into an ancient stately mansion. They're warned by the owner that it is haunted by a most horrifying and gruesome spirit who had once cruelly murdered his own wife. The story progresses with creaking floor boards, mysterious passages, dark attics, clanking chains, and weird howling. Yet, the reader is totally unprepared for Oscar Wilde's brand of tongue in cheek humor as he takes all the ingredients of a traditional ghost story and turns it on its head, and creates a hilarious parody instead of a morbid saga! The Canterville Ghost was the first of Oscar Wilde's short stories to be published...

This story opens at a fashionable dinner party in Sir Robert Chiltern's home in the heart of London's stylish Grosvenor Square. One of Lady Chiltern's old school-friends, Mrs. Cheveley, a woman with a dubious past, accosts Sir Robert and threatens to expose a financial crime that he had once participated in, unless he agrees to finance a fraudulent construction project that she's promoting. Lady Chiltern is astounded when her husband who had been the severest critic of this project suddenly begins to speak in its favor...

Lady Windermere’s Fan: A Play About a Good Woman is a four act comedy by Oscar Wilde, published in 1893. As in some of his other comedies, Wilde satirizes the morals of Victorian society, and attitudes between the sexes. The action centres around a fan given to Lady Windermere as a present by her husband, and the ball held that evening to celebrate her 21st birthday.

A Woman of No Importance is a play by Irish playwright Oscar Wilde. The play premièred on 19 April 1893 at London's Haymarket Theatre. It is a testimony of Wilde's wit and his brand of dark comedy. It looks in particular at English upper class society and has been reproduced on stages in Europe and North America since his death in 1900.

A parody of its famous predecessor, this short piece was written by Owen Wister for the Harvard Lampoon

Owen Wister's wry humor enlivens this comedic story of three sophomores during exam week at Harvard.

If you're encountering the zany Bertie Wooster and his exceptionally astute Man Friday, Jeeves, for the first time, be assured that you're embarking on a lifetime of fun and laughter! On the other hand, for eternal Wodehouse fans, Right Ho Jeeves provides more glimpses of the delightful world created by one of the best loved English writers. It is the second in the series of Bertie Wooster and Jeeves novels and features some of the regular characters of Brinkley Court, the country seat ruled over by Bertie's much-loved Aunt Dahlia...

First published in 1919, My Man Jeeves is a collection of short stories featuring the well known fictional characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. The compilation consists of eight stories, of which four feature the popular duo while the other four stories feature Reggie Pepper, an early model of Bertie Wooster. Set in the early 20th century, the stories carry much humor, wit, and charming mischief as the characters seem to attract trouble wherever they go. Wodehouse sets the stories in the early 20th century and allows the audience to enter the world of the upper-class establishments, and experience the many awkward situations the characters find themselves in...

A young, but not too brilliant writer is conscripted by a ne'er-do-well friend to help out on a chicken farm in remote Dorset. While traveling to the country, the writer encounters a lovely young girl and her academician father on the train. He is delighted to discover that she is reading a copy of his latest book. In the countryside, he also discovers that the professor and his daughter are neighbors. However, over dinner one night, he gets into an acrimonious debate with the elderly scholar who storms out, furious with his daughter's potential suitor...

The first of two books that he wrote on golfing themes, The Clicking of Cuthbert by PG Wodehouse sparkles with typical Wodehousian wit, humor and general goofiness! An avid golfer himself, Wodehouse published the ten stories in this volume in 1922. In 1924, an American edition titled Golf Without Tears was published. Since then it has enjoyed undimmed popularity among both Wodehouse fans and golfing enthusiasts. Nine of the stories contained in this book are narrated by the Oldest Member, a character who has become a cult figure among Wodehouse fans...

When the absent-minded Earl of Emsworth wanders off with the pride of his scarab collection, American millionaire J. Preston Peters is willing to pay $5000 to the person who can get it back for him. Discretion is necessary since Peters’ daughter is engaged to Emsworth’s son. Joan Valentine and Ashe Marson both decide to go after the reward—she as Aline Peter’s ladies maid, and he as Mr. Peter’s valet—and they all end up at Blandings Castle. But is it possible for anyone to steal back the scarab with The Efficient Baxter ever vigilant? This is, IMHO, one of Wodehouse’s funniest novels. –Debra Lynn

Mike’s dream of studying and playing cricket at Cambridge are thwarted as his father runs into financial difficulties. Instead, Mike takes on the job of clerk at the “New Asiatic Bank.” Luckily, school friend Psmith, with his boundless optimism and original views, soon joins his department, and together they endeavour to make the best of their new life in London.

Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse was an English comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success for more than seventy years. Best known today for the Jeeves and Blanding Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies.

The Prince and Betty is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. It was originally published in Ainslee's Magazine in the United States in January 1912, and, in a slightly different form, as a serial in Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom between February and April 1912, before being published in book form, in the UK only, by Mills & Boon, London, on 1 May that year. A substantially different version, which incorporated the plot of Psmith, Journalist, was published in the US by W. J. Watt, New York on 14 February 1912, and is the only version now widely available...

The Coming of Bill tells the story of Kirk Winfield, his marriage to Ruth, and their child called Bill. Bill's upbringing is threatened by the interference of Ruth's busybody writer aunt, Mrs Lora Delane Porter.

Their Mutual Child (aka The Coming of Bill and The White Hope) is full of the loveable characters, preposterous situations, and opportunities to chuckle, if not outright laughs, that we expect from PG Wodehouse. It lacks the frantic slapstick of some Wodehouse comedy, but has a quieter more reflective humour. Kirk, the erstwhile hero, is a typical Wodehousian hero. At the beginning of the story, he is thoroughly likeable, a healthy, but a somewhat weak and malleable fellow. He dabs at beings a painter for a living, and runs with a gang of hangers-on, who sponge off him...

The Slant Book is literally the shape of a parallelogram, with the spine of the book running down one side. When opened, facing pages form a “V” shape. All the pictures on the slanted recto pages show a way-too-precocious infant in a carriage [the "go-cart" of yesteryear] racing downhill who has somehow gotten away from his nanny, gleefully creating havoc all along the way! The facing verso pages contain two stanzas of commentary on the charming –if alarming!– illustrations. This book pioneered the “special format” children’s literature of today, such as pop-up books or cutout books like Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar...

This is Thomas Holcroft's English translation, obtained by attending Pierre Beaumarchais' French play nine times in Paris during its original official staging in 1784. Beaumarchais' play was the basis for Mozart's 1796 opera, and is a satire about lovers' misdoings and French society. Because of its rebellious themes, presented during the troubling times leading up to the French Revolution, Beaumarchais had a very difficult time getting his play past the censors. Once staged, the play was enormously popular with audiences, including the aristocracy despite their understanding of the underlying themes...

Count Almaviva's heart is stolen when he lays eyes on Rosine, but he worries that she will only love him for his money. Can Figaro help him? This comedy is the first play in Beaumarchais' Figaro trilogy. It was written in 1773, but because of political and legal problems, Beaumarchais could not stage the play until 1775. The Barber of Seville was adapted into at least five operas, the best-known being by Rossini. The other plays in the trilogy are The Follies of a Day: or the Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother...

The play is set in Bath in the 18th century, a town legendary for conspicuous consumption and fashion at the time. Wealthy, fashionable people went there to "take the waters", which were believed to have healing properties. The plot centres on the two young lovers, Lydia and Jack. Lydia, who reads a lot of popular novels of the time, wants a purely romantic love affair. To court her, Jack pretends to be "Ensign Beverley", a poor officer. Lydia is enthralled with the idea of eloping with a poor soldier in spite of her guardian, Mrs...

Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedy was first performed in 1777 and focuses on the intrigues and scandals of the British upper classes. Lady Sneerwell wants to marry Charles Surface, while Joseph Surface wants to marry Maria, an heiress and ward of Sir Peter Teazle. Maria, however, prefers Charles over Joseph. In order to detach her from Charles, Lady Sneerwell and Joseph spread rumors about an affair between Charles and Lady Teazle, Sir Peter's new young wife. Meanwhile, Sir Oliver Surface, newly returned from the East Indies, assumes various disguises to test his nephews' characters. Misunderstandings, mistaken identities, gossip, and bad behavior abound in this uproarious comedy.

Miss Civilization, a one act comedy, tells the story of a young woman who matches wits with three burglars attempting to rob her house.

William is a mischievous eleven year old who is puzzled by the adult world, which is no less puzzled by him. The humor is gentle and pleasing. The series of books is better known in the United Kingdom than in the U.S. (

Sixty-three essays on a variety of topics as wide apart as Family Life in America, Opera Synopses, Bigamy, International Finance and many more, Love Conquers All by Robert Benchley strangely enough does not touch upon romance at all! However, these delightful notes provide hours of browsing pleasure for young and old readers alike. Robert Benchley was a well-known humorist and newspaper columnist, radio and television presenter, actor, scriptwriter and broadcaster. He is also credited with creating the first ever television entertainment show and one of his iconic short films, How to Sleep won an Academy Award in 1936...

Introduction - This is a collection of ten comic pieces from the 16th century and earlier, as compiled and edited by Frederick Furnivall for private circulation in 1871. Only the first is by Copland. (Introduction by Grant Hurlock)

How do you tell apart a parrot from a carrot? A plover from a clover? A bay from a jay? Although there are several ways of differentiating, R. W. Wood’s use of pun and rhyme is one of the most entertaining!

The Princess Zoubaroff is a witty, subversive, and unbelievably suggestive play, far ahead of its time. Through razor-sharp dialogue and outrageous scenarios, Ronald Firbanks takes aim at all of the sacred cows of polite English society: matrimony, motherhood, religion, and sexuality. Enid and Eric are newlyweds, although neither is particularly happy with this new arrangement. While honeymooning at their friends’ vacation home in Florence, Eric and his friend Adrian leave for the mountains. The...

Saki was the pen name of the British author Hector Hugh Munro (1870 – 1916). His witty, biting and occasionally odd short stories satirised Edwardian culture. Saki is considered a master of the short story and has been compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker as well as Noel Coward and Oscar Wilde (who clearly influenced Saki). His first collection of short stories, Reginald, was published by Methuen Press in 1904 though these stories first appeared in the ‘Westminster Gazette’. The stories...

This road trip novel is set in the early twentieth century and follows the experiences of an aristocratic New Englander and her father as they travel by automobile from Minneapolis to Seattle. She is wooed and won by a noble but simple commoner she meets along the way. Lewis is at his usual wryly humorous self, poking fun at the upper class and treating the common people only slightly better.

"At thirty-four Mr. Wrenn was the sales-entry clerk of the Souvenir Company. He was always bending over bills and columns of figures at a desk behind the stock-room. He was a meek little bachelor--a person of inconspicuous blue ready-made suits, and a small unsuccessful mustache." Mr. Wrenn, however has a rich inner life embellished by his own imagination. When he comes into a modest inheritance, he feels he ought to learn to get out and wander a bit, and then his education begins. He finds life more "interesting", perhaps than he had "imagined". . . (Introduction by Don Jenkins)

From the cave man to Santa Claus; spies, know-it-alls, and journalists: all are fair game for Leacock’s special brand of humor. He touches on the changes time has brought about in the city, education, and work habits. Among the other topics in this work are nature, fishing, gardening, success, and spirits–both of the departed and of the variety Prohibition prohibited. Each chapter of this book is a standalone story and if you love a good laugh, these stories are for you. In me, Leacock’s wit produced the full range of laughter: smiles, chuckles, guffaws, and some uncontrollable giggles. Also, occasionally, I found myself shedding a tear or two. (Review by Debra Lynn)

“Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich” is a work of humorous fiction by Stephen Leacock first published in 1914. It is the follow-up to his 1912 classic “Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town.” Like that work, it is a sequence of interlocking stories set in one town, but instead of focusing on a small Canadian town in the countryside, it is set in a major American metropolis and its characters are the upper crust of society. Although currently not as well-known as the earlier book, “Arcadian Adventures” was extremely popular in North America at the time of its publication and for a while was considered the greater success...

Eight silly stories by Canadian humourist Stephen Leacock.

Donna Isabella does not want to marry Don Guzman, her father's choice. Donna Violante's father wants her to become a nun. Isabella is attacked on the street and carried insensible into Violante's house. What will happen next? Confidential letters, secret identities, conniving servants, disguises and other fallderoll await! Supposedly Jane Austen put on a family performance of this play. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Don Felix: Greg Giordano Colonel Briton: skypigeon Frederic: Adrian Stephens Don...

The Shoemaker's Holiday is an Elizabethan play written by Thomas Dekker. It was first performed in 1599 by the Admiral's Men. It falls into the sub-genre of city comedy (depicting ordinary London life).Aristocrat Rowland Lacy falls in love with middle class girl Rose Oateley, but Rose's father and Lacy's uncle refuse to approve the match because of the class difference and Rowland's spendthrift lifestyle. Rowland is told to redeem himself by joining the army fighting in France. To avoid going, he persuades someone else to take his place and disguises himself as a Dutch shoemaker, Hans...

This novel, which Shakespeare adapted in his pastoral comedy As You Like It, is the archetypal pastoral adventure. Two young persons of high birth, who have recently lost their fathers (one to death, one to banishment), fall in love but are separated almost at once and forced to flee to the Forest of Arden. There they meet again, but as Rosalynde is disguised for safety as a boy, named Ganymede, her lover Rosader does not recognize her. Once Rosader has confided his love to Ganymede, they play a game in which the "boy" poses as Rosalynde to give Rosader practice in wooing...

The Roaring Girl is a rip-roaring Jacobean comedy co-written by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker and first published in 1611. The play is a fictionalized dramatization of the life of Mary Frith, known as "Moll Cutpurse", a woman who had gained a reputation as a virago in the early 17th century. (The term "roaring girl" was adapted from the slang term "roaring boy", which was applied to a young man who caroused publicly, brawled, and committed petty crimes.) The play combines the exploits of the cross-dressed Moll with the amorous adventures of a trio of merchants' wives, and the forbidden romance between Sebastian Wengrave and Mary Fitzallard.

Based on Aphra Behn's 1688 novel , Thomas Southerne's Oroonoko is seen by scholars today as the driving force that kept Behn's work from fading into obscurity. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was considered even more popular than the novel, presenting theatergoing audiences with a highly touching tale of pathos and tragedy involving the eponymous prince-turned-slave and his undying devotion to his beloved wife, Imoinda. However, in this version, unlike in Behn's novel, Imoinda is a white woman, and there is also a comic subplot involving the husband-hunting Welldon sisters that caters to Restoration tastes ...

What happens when wartime romance and talents encounter the post-war civilian world? "I'm going to take you to - " "Racine?" "If you're my wife you'll go with me to Hell!" "I'd rather go there than Racine." "Did anybody ever tell you that you were a snob?" - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Billy Arkwright, Twenty-five, late Lieutenant, A. E. F.: Andrew Gaunce Nora, Maid: Annie Mars General McInerny, U. S. A, fifty: ToddHW Jack Rutherford, Late Lieutenant, N. A.: DavyDave Florence Lanham, Twenty-one: Jenn Broda Mrs...

"A Woman's Way" belongs to a class of comedy curiously rare on our native stage in recent seasons, the comedy of smart people, with a flavor of character study to give it dignity." "In this comedy, it is "inevitable" that the wife and the other woman should meet in the presence of the husband, and that they should come to open grapple under the very eyes of the audience. The joy of [Buchanan's] comedy, of course, in no small measure is due to the fact that the other woman is not at all the sort of antagonist the wife expected; that she is, in fact, charming, with worldly poise equal to the occasion...

About two dozen comedies of the Roman playwright Plautus have survived the years, with many of them ending up rewritten and recast by other playwrights such as Moliere. This one, Pseudolus, was part of the source for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Simo, an old gentleman of Athens: ToddHW Calidorus, his son, in love with Phoenicium: Tomas Peter Charinus, the friend of Calidorus: Adam Bielka Callipho, the friend of Simo: Alan Mapstone Pseudolus, the servant...

Buried treasure, reckless son, exile, young love, betrayal, detection - all as relevant today as when this comedy was written 2200 years ago. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Luxury: Sonia Poverty: Availle Charmides, an Athenian merchant: ToddHW Lesbonicus, the son of Charmides: Rémi Callicles, a friend of Charmides: Mike Manolakes Megaronides, a friend of Callicles: David Purdy Stasimus, the servant of Charmides and Lesbonicus: Adrian Stephens Philto, a wealthy Athenian: Algy Pug Lysiteles, the son of Philto, and a friend of Lesbonicus: VocalPenguin A Sharper: Alan Mapstone Stage Directions: Wayne Cooke Editing: ToddHW

Pleusicles loves Philocomasium, but she is kidnapped by Pyrgopolinices. Palaestrio, faithful servant to Pleusicles, witnesses this and goes to tell his master, but is captured by Pirates and ends up a servant to Pyrgopolinices as well. Palaestrio still gets word to Pleusicles, who arrives on scene. Palaestrio then invents a complex and daring plan involving mistresses, supposed twin sisters, disguises, family friends in the right places, and a monkey to try to escape Pyrgopolinices and reunite Pleusicles and Philocomasium...

Twin sisters, separated at birth to different lands. Later, Mnesilochus falls in love with one of them, only to see his friend Pistoclerus apparently with her. Great complications abound. Eventually all is explained and everyone joins together to carouse. - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: Silenus, the Divinity, who speaks the Prologue: ToddHW Nicobulus, an aged citizen of Athens: Adrian Stephens Mnesilochus, his son: Greg Giordano Philoxenus, another aged citizen of Athens: Alan Mapstone Pistoclerus,...

"Antipho, a wealthy and jovial old gentleman of Athens, has two daughters, Pilumena and Pamphila. They are married to two brothers, Epignomus and Pamphilus, who, having run through their property in the company of idlers and Parasites, have, with the view of retrieving their fortunes, taken to merchandize [overseas trade]." The brothers have, in fact, been gone so long trying to regain their riches that Antipho is getting ready to marry off the daughters again. Will the brothers arrive back in time...

Menaechimus was carried away as a child to Epidamnus. Years later his twin-brother arrives also in Epidamnus, where because of his resemblance to his brother, he is mistaken for him by everybody. "This play was the foundation of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors." - Summary by ToddHW and Translator Cast list: Menaechimus of Epidamnus: Greg Giordano Menaechimus Sosicles, his twin-brother: Wayne Cooke Peniculus, a Parasite: Alan Mapstone Messenio, the servant of Menaechimus Sosicles: Rémi Cylindrus,...

Euclio, a miserly old Athenian, has discovered a pot of gold in his house, Afraid it will be found and taken, he watches with the greatest anxiety and moves the treasure around, concealing it first in one spot and then another. Until.... - Summary by ToddHW Cast list: The Household God, who speaks the Prologue: ToddHW Euclio, an aged Athenian: Greg Giordano Megadorus, uncle of Lyconides: Algy Pug Lyconides, a young Athenian: Inkell Strobilus, servant of Megadorus and Lyconides: Alan Mapstone Pythodicus, servant of Megadorus: Kerry Adams Anthrax, Cook: ToddHW Congrio, Cook: Rapunzelina Eunomia, the sister of Megadorus: Kristin G...

One-Act Play Collection includes 6 one-act plays in the public domain.