A Trip to Scarborough

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) was a man with many roles. He was not only a playwright and poet, but also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons and owner of the London Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. Though born in Ireland, Sheridan and his family moved outside of London when he was seven. Both of his parents were theatrical influences for him, as his mother was a playwright and novelist, and his father was at one time an actor. In 1722, the character of Sheridan's intended fiancé was challenged by Captain Thomas Mathews. The result was two duels, the first left both parties unscathed, while the second resulted in bloodshed, though Sheridan was the resounding winner. "A Trip to Scarborough" was first performed on the 24th of February, 1777. It is a sort of censored rendition of John Vanbrugh's "The Relapse".