Beaumarchais wrote this comedy, the second in a trilogy of plays about the Almaviva family, in the early 1780s. The licence for production was not readily granted and, as a result, The Marriage of Figaro has earned the reputation of being a work that fanned the flames of the French Revolution of 1789. The audio extract above, read by Simon Nuckley as Figaro, is just one of a number of instances in the play where the authority of feudal lords is challenged by a servant.

The play is best known as the basis of one of Mozart's most popular operas. Da Ponte, the librettist, made several judicious cuts and most of these we have followed too. The piece as written is unwieldy and has some unplayable changes of characterisation. Even the original cast members refused to perform certain scenes. Any attempt to stage the piece today requires quite radical pruning. In our adaptation we aimed to keep all the humour and the satirical bite.

The action takes place in the course of one day and concerns the thwarting of the Count who wishes to bed Figaro's intended bride and tries everything he can think of to stop the wedding. The general rejoicing at the end is a little forced and - to anyone who reads the final part of the trilogy - false. But that does not spoil the fun in this play.