On December 1727 an intriguing play called Double Falshood; Or, The
Distrest Lovers was presented for production by Lewis Theobald, who had
it published in January 1728 after a successful run at the Theatre
Royal, Drury Lane, London. The title page to the published version
claims that the play was 'Written Originally by W.SHAKESPEARE'.
*Double Falsehood'*s plot is a version of the story of Cardenio found in
Cervantes's Don Quixote (1605) as translated by Thomas Shelton,
published in 1612 though in circulation earlier. Documentary records
testify to the existence of a play, certainly performed in 1613, by John
Fletcher and William Shakespeare, probably entitled The History of
Cardenio and presumed to have been lost. The audience in 1727 would
certainly have recognised stage situations and dramatic structures and
patterns reminiscent of those in Shakespeare's canonical plays as well
as many linguistic echoes.
This intriguing complex textual and performance history is thoroughly
explored and debated in this fully annotated edition, including the
views of other major Shakespeare scholars. The illustrated introduction
provides a comprehensive overview of the debates and opinions
surrounding the play and the text is fully annotated with detailed
commentary notes as in any Arden edition.