Thomas Duffet facts for kids

Thomas Duffet (active from 1673 to 1676), also spelled Duffett, was an Irish writer. He wrote plays and songs in England during the 1670s. People remember him for his popular songs. He was also known for his funny plays called burlesques. These burlesques made fun of serious plays by famous writers like John Dryden.

Duffet worked as a milliner. This means he made and sold hats. He had a shop in London. We don't know much about his life. But his plays show he knew a lot about everyday life in London.

Thomas Duffet's Plays

It's a bit tricky to know exactly which plays Thomas Duffet wrote. But experts generally agree on six plays. These plays were usually printed in the same year they were performed.

• The Spanish Rogue, 1673 (printed 1674)
• The Amorous Old Woman, 1674
• The Mock Tempest, or the Enchanted Castle, 1674 (printed 1675)
• The Empress of Morocco: a Farce, 1674
• Psyche Debauch'd, 1675 (printed 1678)
• Beauty's Triumph, 1676

Early Comedies

Duffet started as a regular play writer. His first two plays were comedies. But the audience's tastes led him in a different direction. The Spanish Rogue was considered his best serious play. However, it was not very successful. When it was published, the play was dedicated to Nell Gwyn, a famous actress.

Burlesque Plays

Duffet became much more successful by making fun of other people's plays. This type of play is called a burlesque. A burlesque is a play that makes fun of a serious work. It was a new style of theatre in England during Duffet's time. Sir William Davenant's The Playhouse to Be Let (1663) is thought to be the first English burlesque. Duffet was one of the first writers to really use this new style.

Like other writers of burlesques, Duffet often reacted quickly to new events. For example, William Shakespeare's The Tempest was adapted by Dryden and Davenant in 1667. Then, Thomas Shadwell made an "opera" version in 1674. Duffet's funny version, The Mock Tempest, was on stage before the end of that same year! Duffet also made fun of other plays. These included Settle's The Empress of Morocco (1673) and Shadwell's opera Psyche (1675).

Working for the King's Company

Duffet mostly worked for the King's Company. The plays he made fun of were usually staged by their rival, the Duke's Company. The King's Company faced big problems after their main theatre, the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, burned down in 1672. Duffet's burlesques show that the King's Company was determined to compete. They wanted to do well even with this big challenge.

Some older critics didn't like Duffet's plays because they took drama very seriously. But modern critics have a kinder view of his work.

Beauty's Triumph

One of Duffet's plays, Beauty's Triumph, was different. It was a masque. A masque is a type of play with music, dancing, and elaborate costumes. This masque was performed by students. They were from a new boarding school for young ladies in Chelsea.

Thomas Duffet's Songs

Duffet's songs have a style similar to those by famous composers like Henry Purcell. Some of his best songs include "Come All You Pale Lovers" and "The Mistake."

In 1676, a collection of his works was published. It was called New Poems, Songs, Prologues and Epilogues. The book said that the music for the songs was arranged by "the most eminent musicians about the town."