Vanbrugh had worked on a projected play A Journey to London for Cibber, a sharp comedy in the Restoration-style.

[3] The original cast included Robert Wilks as Lord Townly, Anne Oldfield as Lady Townly, Mary Porter as Lady Grace, John Mills as Manly, Colley Cibber as Sir Francis Wronghead, Sarah Thurmond as Lady Wronghead, Jane Cibber as Jenny, Joe Miller as Moody and Roger Bridgewater as Count Basset.

The play was a huge success and enjoyed a lengthy run at the theatre, boosting the finances of the struggling Drury Lane.

It appeared to be the hit of the season, only to be eclipsed by the even more dramatic success of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera which opened three weeks later at the rival Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre.

[4] The Provoked Husband was revived frequently over the following century, become a staple part of the repertory in many theatres.