The Mohocks (1712) is John Gay’s first work for the stage. It holds particular interest in that it resembles his most famous play, The Beggar’s Opera (1728), more closely than any other of his dramatic productions previous to that date. The full title reads The Mohocks; A Tragi-Comical Farce. As it was acted near the Watch-house in Covent-Garden. By Her Majesty’s Servants. In fact, it never reached the stage. Though Gay already had connections with the Drury Lane theatre company through his friend Aaron Hill, the managers were unwilling to put on a potentially controversial play by an unknown author. The subtitle refers to the action of the piece in and around Covent Garden, a centre of …
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Citation: Rogers, Pat. "The Mohocks". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 October 2020 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39347, accessed 24 November 2024.]
