As the play is Older Than Radio, all spoilers on this page are unmarked.
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 May 8, 1777. With principal themes of "the deceptive nature of appearances, the fickleness of reputation, [and] the often disreputable guises behind which goodness and honesty can conceal itself," it has been noted that "The play remains to this day a crowd-pleaser and one of the standard repertory pieces in our dramatic literature."
This play contains examples of:
- Gossipy Hens: the eponymous School for Scandal is this, particularly Mrs. Candour.
- Greedy Jew: Subverted with Moses. He's a moneylender, but—as Rowley points out—an honest one.
- Meaningful Name: Almost every character has a meaningful name, as befits a comedy of manners.
- Charles and Joseph Surface have been misjudged by their appearance.
- Lady Sneerwell is a malicious scandalmonger.
- Mrs Candour pretends to be friends with those that she spreads rumours about.
