A play comical play from 1773 will be revived in St Albans this weekend and run until May 20.

She Stoops To Conquer, written by Oliver Goldsmith, was first performed in London. Few plays from the 18th century.

When Charles Stuart was restored to the throne in 1660, theatres were reopened after an eighteen-year ban. Restoration theatre became a way to celebrate the end of Puritan rule, with its strict moral codes. While not strictly a Restoration play, She Stoops To Conquer is still very much a comedy of manners.

The humour comes from the characters struggling to preserve standards of polite behaviour while labouring under multiple misunderstandings.

In the story wealthy countryman Mr Hardcastle lives with his silly wife, his clever daughter Kate, Mrs Hardcastle’s wayward son from her first marriage, Tony Lumpkin, and her sensible niece, Constance, who is heiress to a large fortune in jewels.

Mrs Hardcastle has plans to marry Constance off to Tony, to keep the jewels in the family, despite that fact they despise each other.

Mr Hardcastle invites rich Londoner to stay, as a suitor to his daughter Kate, without knowing he prefers a lower class lady. He brings with him another charcater key to the plot, who is planning to elope with Constance.

Krystle Hall, who plays Kate Hardcastle, comments: “She stoops to Conquer is filled with brash, gaudy frenetic characters that are a joy to bring to life. The text demands the boldest of gesture and delivery with bags of energy.

"It is a play for the audience, aiming at pure entertainment. It is a witty plot with little character psychology, so that those watching can embrace a good belly laugh, as the author intended.”

That is all just the beginning, the complications and slapstick circumstances continue to evolve.

Director Roger Scales has known and loved She Stoops to Conquer since he was a boy. He says: “Aged 11,  I was given the part of the drunken servant in the school production. My future leisure time in the theatre was fixed by this experience.

"Some years later I was to perform in the play again, as Marlow, and 28 years after that, the chance to play Hardcastle arose. Over the years I found the piece funnier and funnier, and my admiration for the play increased.”

Abbey Theatre, Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill, AL1 2DL, Friday, May 12 until Saturday, May 20. Details: 01727 857861