A Bold Stroke for a Husband by Hannah Cowley is an 18th-century comedic play centered on love, deception, and female agency. The story follows Olivia, a strong-willed woman determined to marry the man she loves, Colonel Bellville, despite her overprotective father, Don Cæsar, who wants her to wed the wealthy but foolish Don Julio. Olivia…
The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay is a satirical ballad opera that cleverly critiques 18th-century politics, society, and corruption. Set in a criminal underworld mirroring upper-class behavior, it follows the story of the roguish highwayman Macheath, who is caught in a web of betrayal, love, and deceit. With humorous commentary on greed, hypocrisy, and power,…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is a whimsical comedy set in Athens and a magical forest. It follows four young lovers and a group of amateur actors who wander into an enchanted wood. There, mischievous fairy Puck and his master, Oberon, the Fairy King, create chaos with a love potion, causing characters to…
