intended as an insult to Ireland. Rewritten and with a new actor, Laurence Clinch, in the role of O'Trigger, the play reopened on 28 January to significant acclaim. Indeed, it became a favourite of the royal family, receiving five command performances in ten years, and also in the Colonies (it was George Washington's favourite play). It became a standard show in the repertoires of 19th-century companies in England and the US. The play is now considered to be one of Sheridan's masterpieces, and the term malapropism was coined in reference to one of the characters in the play. She was first played by Jane Green. Characters Sir Anthony Absolute, a wealthy baronet Captain Jack Absolute, his son, disguised as Ensign Beverley Faulkland, friend of Jack Absolute Bob Acres, friend of Jack Absolute Sir Lucius O'Trigger, an Irish baronet Fag, Captain Absolute's servant David, Bob Acres' servant Thomas, Sir Anthony's servant Lydia Languish, a wealthy teenaged heiress, in love with "Ensign Beverley" Mrs. Malaprop, Lydia's middle-aged guardian Julia Melville, a young relation of the Absolutes, in love with Faulkland Lucy, Lydia's conniving maid Plot The play is set in 18th-century Bath, a town that was legendary for conspicuous consumption and fashion at the time. Wealthy, fashionable people went there to "take the waters", which were believed to have healing properties. Bath society was much less exclusive than London, and hence it provides an ideal setting for the characters. The plot centres on the two young lovers, Lydia and Jack. Lydia, who reads a lot of popular novels of the time, wants a purely romantic love affair. To court her, Jack pretends to be "Ensign Beverley", a poor army officer. Lydia is enthralled with the idea of eloping with a poor soldier in spite of the objections of her guardian, Mrs. Malaprop, a moralistic widow. Mrs. Malaprop is the chief comic figure of the play, thanks to her continual misuse of words that sound like the words she intends to use, but mean something completely different (the term malapropism was coined in reference to the character). Lydia has two other suitors: Bob Acres (a somewhat buffoonish country gentleman), and Sir Lucius O'Trigger, an impoverished and combative Irish gentleman. Sir Lucius pays Lucy to carry love notes between him and Lydia (who uses the name "Delia"), but Lucy is swindling him: "Delia" is actually Mrs. Malaprop. As the play opens, Sir Anthony arrives