She Stoops to Conquer

She Stoops to Conquer
1905: Kyrle Bellew and Eleanor Robson in a scene from She Stoops to Conquer
Written byOliver Goldsmith
Characters
  • Charles Marlow
  • Miss Kate Hardcastle
  • George Hastings
  • Tony Lumpkin
  • Mr. Hardcastle
  • Mrs. Hardcastle
  • Miss Constance Neville
  • Sir Charles Marlow
Date premiered1773 (1773)
Place premieredLondon, England
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy
1971: Juliet Mills and Tom Courtenay in a BBC production of the play.

She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th century to have retained its appeal and is still regularly performed. The play has been adapted into a film several times, including in 1914 and 1923. Initially the play was titled Mistakes of a Night and the events within the play take place in one long night. In 1778, John O'Keeffe wrote a loose sequel, Tony Lumpkin in Town.

The play is notable for being the origin of the common English phrase, "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." (appearing as 'fibs' in the play).[1]

  1. ^ "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies". Grammarist. 6 October 2021.

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