John Poole (playwright)


John Poole, an English playwright, was one of the earliest and best known 19th century playwrights of the comic drama, the farce.

Biography

Paul Pry is considered his most notable work, while Hamlet Travestie, performed as a burlesque, was the first Shakespeare parody since the Restoration.
He was buried in a common grave, plot no.18577, on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery.

Selected works

Plays

Hamlet travestie: in three acts Othello-travestie in three acts. The hole in the wall: a farce, in two acts Intrigue, or, Married yesterday: a comic interlude, in one act Who's who?, or, The double imposture: a farce, in two acts A short reign and a merry one: a petite comedy, in two acts. First performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 1819-11-19The two pages of Frederick the Great: a comic piece, in two acts Deaf as a post: a farce, in one act, two scenes First performed at Drury Lane February, 1823.Simpson and Co. a comedy in one act A year in an hour, or, The cock of the walk: a farce, in two acts Scapegoat: a farce, in one act Paul Pry: a comedy, in three acts Tribulation, or, Unwelcome visitors: a comedy, in two acts Twixt the Cup and Lip Simpson & co. : a comedy, in two acts The wife's stratagem, or, more frightened than hurt : a comedy, in three acts The wealthy widow, or, They're both to blame: a comedy, in three acts Lodgings for Single Gentlemen Turning the tables: a farce, in one act Past and present; or, The hidden treasure: a drama, in three acts Old and young, a farce, in one act. First performed at English Opera Company, Theatre Royal, Adelphi with 31 performances during the period of 1831-07-04 through 1831-09-28A soldier's courtship; or love at first sight: a comedy, in one act. Patrician & [parvenu, or, Confusion worse confounded: a comedy, in five acts Atonement, or, The god-daughter: a drama, in two acts 'Twould puzzle a conjurer, or, The two Peters The atonement; or, The God-daughter: a drama, in two acts Rumfuskin, King of the North Pole, or, Treason rewarded: a tragedy for the first of April Phineas Quiddy, or, Sheer industry Lodgings for single gentlemen a farce in one act Scan. Mag, or, The village gossip: a popular farce, in two acts The Dutch governor, or, 'Twould puzzle a conjuror : a modern standard drama Intrigue, or, The Bath road ; a comic interlude, in one act My wife! What wife? a farce, in one or two acts Match making: a petite comedy, in one act A pair of razors : a farce, in one act
  • ''Uncle Sam, or, A nabob for an hour: a farce, in two acts''

Other

Two papers : a theatrical critique and an essay on sonnet-writing, and sonnet-writers in general : including a Sonnet on myself Phineas Quiddy A new novel. Paul Pry's Journal of a residence at Little Pedlington. Little Pedlington and the Pedlingtonians
  • ''Christmas festivities: tales, sketches, and characters, with Beauties of the modern drama, in four specimens''