author
Sydney Grundy
1848–1914
A successful Victorian dramatist, he helped bring European stage comedy to English-speaking audiences through lively adaptations and polished society plays. He is also remembered for writing librettos for comic operas, including the popular Haddon Hall.
5 Audiobooks
The New Woman: An Original Comedy, in Four Acts
by Sydney Grundy
In Honour Bound: An Original Play, in One Act. (Suggested by Scribe's Five Act Comedy, "Une Chaine.")
by Sydney Grundy
A Little Change: A Farce in One Scene
by Sydney Grundy
A Fool's Paradise: An Original Play in Three Acts
by Sydney Grundy
The Silver Shield: An Original Comedy in Three Acts
by Sydney Grundy
About the author
Born in Manchester on March 23, 1848, Sydney Grundy trained in law and was called to the bar in 1869. He practiced as a barrister in Manchester before turning fully to the theatre, where he found far greater success as a playwright.
Grundy became known for deft, crowd-pleasing stage work, especially adaptations of French and German plays for British audiences. His comedies and dramas were widely performed in London and beyond, and works such as A Pair of Spectacles and Sowing the Wind helped make him a familiar name in late Victorian theatre.
He also wrote librettos for comic operas, most notably Haddon Hall. Although many of his plays were shaped from continental originals, his skill in making them feel fluent and theatrical for English audiences made him one of the best-known dramatists of his day. He died in London on July 4, 1914.