Gay wrote

in the second half of 1728, as a sequel to his hit success,

[see separate entry], which had broken all theatrical box-office records in London by running for sixty-two consecutive performances earlier in the year. He built

around the sentimental heroine of

, Polly Peachum, who had become the toast of the town, depicting her further adventures in the West Indies.

, however, had been too much of a political

for government comfort, and, although Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister, at whom much of the satire had been aimed, had succeeded in laughing off most of the jibes against him, he was, nevertheless, determined not to risk a re-run. Accordingly, he ensured that the Duke of Grafton, the Lord…

1524 words

Citation: Gordon, Ian. "Polly: An Opera. Being the Second Part of The Beggar's Opera". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 February 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=2626, accessed 24 November 2024.]