The Alchemist

First performed in 1610, The Alchemist is one of Ben Jonson's greatest comedies. Written for the King's Men-the acting company to which Shakespeare belonged-it was first performed in Oxford because the playhouses in London were closed due to the plague. It was an immediate success and has remained a popular staple ever since. The play centers around a con man, his female accomplice, and a roguish butler who uses his master's house to gull a series of victims out of their money and goods.
Jonson uses the play to satirize as many people as he can-pompous lords, greedy commoners, and self-righteous Anabaptists alike-as his three con artists proceed to bilk everyone who comes to their door. They don multiple roles and weave elaborate tales to exploit their victims' greed and amass a small fortune. But it all comes to a sudden, raucous end when the master unexpectedly returns to London and all the victims gather to try and reclaim their property.