Richard Brome

"Richard Brome was the leading comic playwright of 1630s London. Starting his career as manservant to Ben Jonson, he went on to write a string of highly successful comedies, remarkable for their satirical bite and surreal humour, which were influential on British theatre long after Brome's own playwriting career was cut short by the closure of the theatres in 1642." "Matthew Steggle's book offers the first full-length chronological account of Brome's life and works, drawing on a wide range of recently discovered manuscript sources. It traces the early hostility to Brome from those who wrote him off as a mere servant; his continued struggles with plague closures, contract disputes; and theatrical takeover bids; and his literary relationships with Jonson, Shakespeare, and others. Each of the surviving play is discussed in relation to its social and political context, and in particular to its sense of place." "Richard Brome will be of interest to students interested in Caroline literature and culture; in the evolution of English comedy; and in early modern theatre generally."--Jacket.