- Townley wrote three original, professionally produced dramatic works: High Life below the Stairs (1759), False Concord (1764), and The Tutor (1765). High Life below the Stairs, a two-act farce first staged at Drury Lane on 31 October 1759, garnered immediate public and critical acclaim, although some believed the play to be the work of Garrick. Further research and review unequivocally establishes that Townley wrote this piece and that Garrick probably contributed editorial assistance?as Townley did in turn for Garrick, most notably on The Clandestine Marriage. Regardless of the question of authorship, High Life emerged as a smashing popular success; the standard plot of a master who dons the functional yet humorous disguise of a servant to witness and to assess the behaviour of his employees received a great deal of attention?and protest?from its audience, since it became a prominent attraction for all of London society. The play appeared in many editions, was translated into German and French, and was performed on a great many of the world's stages. [Oxford DNB]
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1714 - 1778 (64 years)