The Discovery (play)

The Discovery
The Discovery
Written by	Frances Sheridan
Date premiered	5 February, 1763
Place premiered	Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London
Original language	English
Genre	Comedy
Setting	England, present day

The Discovery: A Comedy in Five Acts is a comedy by Frances Sheridan. The play premiered on 5 February, 1763, at the Drury Lane Theatre, London. The actors being David Garrick as Sir Anthony Branville, Frances' husband Thomas Sheridan as Lord Medway, William O'Brien as Sir Harry Flutter, Charles Holland as Colonel Medway, Mrs. Hannah Pritchard as Lady Medway, Mary Ann Yates as Mrs Knightly, and Jane Pope as Lady Flutter. Garrick agreed that Thomas Sheridan should play the lead role and be paid with two night's profits.^[1]

Aldous Huxley controversially rewrote the play and provided a new ending, for a Chatto and Windus edition in 1924.^[2]

References

^ The Theatrical Inquisitor, Or, Monthly Mirror 1818 - Volume 11 - Page 348 "In January, 1763, Mrs. Sheridan produced her first play of "The Discovery," in which, Mr. Garrick, according to Davies, " consented that Mr. Sheridan should play the principal part, and receive for his labours the advantage of two nights' profits,"
^ The Plays of Frances Sheridan ed. Robert Goode Hogan, Jerry C. Beasley 0874132436 1984 Page 33 "More recently, the revision of The Discovery by Aldous Huxley, who mangled Mrs. Sheridan's comedy by rewriting its sentimental passages and providing a new ending, was published from the London house of Chatto and Windus in 1924."