author
Néricault Destouches
1680–1754
A sharp observer of manners and ambition, this French dramatist helped carry classical comedy into the 18th century with plays that mixed wit, social satire, and moral feeling. He is best remembered for comedies such as Le Glorieux, which captured the tensions of a changing society.
1 Audiobook
Next Door Neighbours: A Comedy; In Three Acts
by Mrs. Inchbald, Néricault Destouches, Louis-Sébastien Mercier
About the author
Born in Tours in 1680, Philippe Néricault Destouches became one of the notable French playwrights of his century. He is often referred to simply as Destouches, and his stage career grew after early connections in diplomatic circles and encouragement from literary figures of his time.
His comedies were known for blending elegant dialogue with close attention to pride, status, and everyday behavior. Critics have often placed him between the world of Molière and the more sentimental moral comedy that followed, and Le Glorieux is usually cited as his best-known work.
Destouches wrote more than twenty plays and remained an important name in French theater long after his death in 1754. His work offers a lively picture of 18th-century society, where vanity, class, and good sense are always in conflict.