author
St. John Hankin
1869–1909
A sharp, witty voice of Edwardian theater, he wrote comedies that quietly skewered family life, class, and social manners. Though his life was brief, his plays helped shape the movement known as the New Drama.
2 Audiobooks
The Last of the De Mullins: A Play Without a Preface
by St. John Hankin
Mr. Punch's Dramatic Sequels
by St. John Hankin
About the author
Born in Southampton in September 1869, St. John Emile Clavering Hankin was an English essayist, journalist, and playwright. He studied at Merton College, Oxford, and became known as one of the important figures of Edwardian "New Drama," alongside writers such as George Bernard Shaw, John Galsworthy, and Harley Granville-Barker.
Before making his name in the theater, he wrote criticism and journalism, including theater reviews for The Times and satirical pieces for Punch. His best-known plays include The Two Mr Wetherbys, The Return of the Prodigal, The Cassilis Engagement, and The Charity That Began at Home, works admired for their polished dialogue, comic intelligence, and clear-eyed view of middle-class respectability.
Hankin died in June 1909 at just 39 years old. His work was neglected for many years after his death, but it has since been rediscovered and valued for its humor, craftsmanship, and modern social insight.