John O'Keeffe

Born in Dublin on June 24, 1747, he first trained as a painter before theatre drew him in more strongly. He worked as an actor as well as a writer, and his background on the stage helped shape plays that were brisk, entertaining, and built to please audiences.

He went on to write a large number of farces, comedies, and librettos for comic operas, including Wild Oats, Tony Lumpkin in Town, Love in a Camp, and Omai. In his own time, he was widely successful and became a major figure in popular theatre, especially in London.

O'Keeffe also faced serious personal hardship: his eyesight failed, and he eventually became blind. Even so, his work continued to be remembered, and his own recollections of his life help preserve the story of a writer who brought wit and warmth to the Georgian stage.