George Colman

Born in London in 1762, George Colman the Younger was the son of the playwright George Colman the Elder. He studied at Westminster School, Christ Church, Oxford, and King’s College, Aberdeen, and was later entered at Lincoln’s Inn before turning fully toward the theatre.

He became closely associated with the Haymarket Theatre, where he worked as manager as well as writer. His comedies, operas, farces, and melodramas were popular with audiences, and works such as Inkle and Yarico, The Iron Chest, The Heir-at-Law, and John Bull helped make him one of the best-known theatrical figures of his day.

Beyond the stage, he also wrote satiric verse and other occasional pieces, showing a lively, flexible style that suited both performance and print. He died in 1836, remembered as a witty and productive figure in English theatre.