The School for Scandal
The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777.
For other uses, see The School for Scandal (disambiguation).The School for Scandal
Sir Peter Teazle
Lady Teazle
Sir Oliver Surface
Joseph Surface
Charles Surface
Maria
Lady Sneerwell
Sir Benjamin Backbite
Sir Harry Bumper
Careless
Rowley
Snake
Trip
Mrs Candour
Crabtree
Moses
8 May 1777
Theatre Royal
English
London, UK
Plot[edit]
Act I[edit]
Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Snake discuss her various scandal-spreading plots. Snake asks why she is so involved in the affairs of Sir Peter Teazle, his ward Maria, and Charles and Joseph Surface, two young men under Sir Peter's informal guardianship, and why she has not yielded to the attentions of Joseph, who is highly respectable. Lady Sneerwell confides that Joseph desires Maria, who is an heiress, and that Maria desires Charles. Thus she and Joseph are plotting to alienate Maria from Charles by putting out rumours of an affair between Charles and Sir Peter's new young wife, Lady Teazle. Joseph arrives to confer with Lady Sneerwell. Maria herself then enters, fleeing the attentions of Sir Benjamin Backbite and his uncle, Crabtree. Mrs. Candour enters and ironically talks about how "tale-bearers are as bad as the tale-makers." Soon after that, Sir Benjamin and Crabtree also enter, bringing a good deal of gossip with them. One item is the imminent return of the Surface brothers' rich uncle Sir Oliver from the East Indies, where he has been for sixteen years; another is Charles' dire financial situation.
Scene II: Sir Peter complains of Lady Teazle's spendthrift ways. Rowley, the former steward of the Surfaces' late father, arrives, and Sir Peter gives him an earful on the subject. He also complains that Maria has refused Joseph, whom he calls "a model for the young men of the age," and seems attached to Charles, whom he denounces as a profligate. Rowley defends Charles, and then announces that Sir Oliver has just arrived from the East Indies. Oliver has instructed them not to tell his nephews of his arrival so that he may “make some trial of their dispositions.”
Act II[edit]
Scene I: Sir Peter argues with his wife, Lady Teazle, refusing to be "ruined by [her] extravagance." He reminds her of her recent and far humbler country origins. Lady Teazle excuses herself by appealing to "the fashion", and departs to visit Lady Sneerwell. Despite their quarrel, Sir Peter still finds himself charmed by his wife even when she is arguing with him.
Scene II: At Lady Sneerwell's, the scandal-mongers have great fun at the expense of friends not present. Lady Teazle and Maria arrive; Lady Teazle joins in, but Maria is disgusted. So is Sir Peter, when he arrives, and rather breaks up the party with his comments. He departs, the others retire to the next room, and Joseph seizes the opportunity to court Maria, who rejects him again. Lady Teazle returns and dismisses Maria, and it is revealed that Lady Teazle is seriously flirting with Joseph – who doesn't want her, but cannot afford to alienate her.
Scene III: Sir Oliver calls on his old friend Sir Peter. He is amused by Sir Peter's marriage to a young wife. Their talk turns to the Surface brothers. Sir Peter praises Joseph's high morals but Sir Oliver suspects that he might be a hypocrite.
Film and television adaptations[edit]
The play has been adapted to film numerous times.
In 1923, the silent British film The School for Scandal was produced and directed by Bertram Phillips. It starred Basil Rathbone, Frank Stanmore and Queenie Thomas.
The 1930 film The School for Scandal was the first sound adaptation of the play. The film is presumed to be lost.
The first television adaptation aired over the BBC May 19, 1937. Greer Garson starred. BBC-TV again produced the play in 1959.
In 1975, WNET/13 New York, in association with KTCA St. Paul-Minneapolis, broadcast a production by the Guthrie Theater Company adapted by Michael Bawtree.[26]
These appeared in "The School for Scandal" 8 May 1777 at The Drury Lane Theatre in London
