David Francis Taylor, Assistant Professor of English, University of Toronto

David Francis Taylor is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Toronto. He studied at Universities of St. Andrews and Cambridge, and has published articles in Eighteenth-Century Studies, European Romantic Review, and New Theatre Quarterly. He is co-editor of The Oxford Handbook to the Georgian Playhouse (forthcoming).

"an impressive study that shows how Sheridans political and theatrical activities bled into each other, with both the playhouse and parliament conceived of (by himself and others) as crucibles of opposition. Contesting a widespread tendency to see Sheridans dramatic and political activities as distinct, Taylor provides a minutely evidenced account of Sheridans career as a dramatist that places much greater emphasis on his hugely successful tragedy Pizarro. Although one might be inclined to argue with his view that Pizarro marks a radical departure from all the previous British dramatizations of the black legend, Taylor makes a powerful case for the staging of the plays anti-imperial spectacle in the context of colonial oppression in India and Ireland." - Jonathan Lamb, Studies in English Literature 1500-1900

"Taylor has done much to bring to the fore the activist, the artful political performer ... no reader of Theatres of Opposition will ever be able to think of any of Sheridan's plays outside of the intricate web of political discourses dominating his time ... Densely written, rich in detail, and the product of not only careful reading, but also extensive research in the theatrical and political contexts in which Sheridan was seen to act, Theatres of Opposition is a demanding but rewarding study." - Sylvana Tomaselli, Eighteenth-Century Fiction

"Overall, Taylor's Theatres of Opposition brings much-needed attention to the importance of political satire and activism in theater. ... Theatres of Opposition is thoroughly researched and well structured ... Although not your standard history, because it is not a history, Taylor's work provides an interdisciplinary look into Sheridan's complex career. It is recommended for an advanced scholar interested in British politics and theater. Nonetheless, Taylor sheds light on the often overlooked career of this political activist playwright." - Timothy C. Hemmis, H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online