The Double Dealer

The Double Dealer is a comic play written by English playwright William Congreve, first produced in 1693.

This comedy sees character Mellefont, nephew and prospective heir of Lord Touchwood, about to marry Cynthia, daughter of Sir Paul Plyant.

Lady Touchwood, a violent and dissolute woman, is in love with Mellefont, but as he rejects her advances, determines to prevent the match and ruin him in Lord Touchwood's esteem.

In this design she finds a confederate in Maskwell, the Double Dealer, who has been her lover, pretends to be Mellefont's friend, and aspires to cheat him of Cynthia and get her for himself.

[4] On 14 May 1995, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a production directed by Phyllida Lloyd and featuring Robin Bailey as Lord Touchwood, Sheila Gish as Lady Touchwood, Jonathan Cullen as Mellefont, Clive Swift as Sir Paul Plyant, Penelope Wilton as Lady Plyant, Christopher Benjamin as Lord Froth, Celia Imrie as Lady Froth, Claire Skinner as Cynthia, Mark Lockyer as Brisk, Richard Bonneville as Careless and Robert Glenister as Maskwell.