The Beggar's Opera (1760)

The Beggar's Opera is a satirical play written by John Gay and first performed in 1728. The play tells the story of a group of criminals and their interactions with the upper classes of society, particularly their love affairs and financial dealings. The play is notable for its use of popular songs and ballads of the time, which are parodied and adapted to fit the story. The characters are colorful and memorable, including the charming rogue Macheath, the cunning and manipulative Peachum, and the innocent and naive Polly Peachum. The play is a commentary on the corruption and hypocrisy of society, and its enduring popularity has made it a classic of English literature. This edition of the play was published in 1760 and includes a preface by the author.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.