''Woman's Wit; or, Loves Disguises'' is an 1838

comedy play Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity. For ancient Greeks and Romans, a comedy was a stage-play with a happy endin ...

by the Irish writer

James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. Biography Knowles was born in Cork. His father was the lexicographer James Knowles (1759–1840), cousin of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The family mov ...

. Nicoll p.339 It premiered at the

Theatre Royal, Covent Garden The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...

on the 23 June 1838 with a cast that included James Warde as Lord Athunree, George Bartley as Sir William Sutton,

William Macready William Charles Macready (3 March 179327 April 1873) was an English actor. Life He was born in London the son of William Macready the elder, and actress Christina Ann Birch. Educated at Rugby School where he became headboy, and where now the ...

as Walsingham, John Langford Pritchard as Felton,

John Pritt Harley John Pritt Harley (February 1786 – 22 August 1858) was an English actor known for his comic acting and singing. Early years Harley was the son of John Harley, a draper and silk mercer, and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised in the parish ch ...

as Clever and

Helena Faucit Helena Saville Faucit, Lady Martin (11 October 1817 – 31 October 1898) was an English actress. Early life Born in London, she was the daughter of actors John Saville Faucit and Harriet Elizabeth Savill. Her parents separated when she was a gi ...

as Hero. Knowles dedicated the play to the writer

Samuel Rogers Samuel Rogers (30 July 1763 – 18 December 1855) was an English poet, during his lifetime one of the most celebrated, although his fame has long since been eclipsed by his Romantic colleagues and friends Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron. His ...

References

Bibliography

* Burwick, Frederck Goslee, Nancy Moore & Hoeveler Diane Long . ''The Encyclopaedia of Romantic Literature''. John Wiley & Sons, 2012. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of Early Nineteenth Century Drama 1800-1850''. Cambridge University Press, 1930. 1838 plays West End plays Irish plays Comedy plays British plays Plays by James Sheridan Knowles {{19thC-play-stub