The Alchemist is set during a plague epidemic in the Liberty of
Blackfriars in 1610 - and was first performed on tour in 1610 by the
company whose London home at Blackfriars was temporarily closed due to a
plague epidemic. The play is a sublimely accomplished satirical farce
about people's diverse dreams of self-refinement: they all want to
transform themselves into something nobler, richer, more powerful, more
virile, just as base metal was supposed to be transformed into gold in
the alchemical process. During their master's absence from the house,
the con-artists Face, Subtle and Doll Common dupe a series of
'customers' whose greed leads them to believe in the existence of the
fabled Philosopher's Stone. As their equipment boils over and blows up
in the offstage kitchen, so their plot heats up and is exploded by the
sceptical Surly and the arrival of their master - who quietly pockets
their proceeds and marries the rich widow to boot.
The lively introduction focuses on the play as a comedy about swindlers
and characters on the margins of society. It highlights Jonson's cratft
as a dramatist and his masterful use of language, building into the play
all actors and directors need to know about its characters and action.
With helpful on-page commentary notes, this student edition also
discusses the play in its theatrical and historical context and traces
its connections to modern theatre, bringing its farcical comedy vividly
to life.
