Widely performed and studied, The Alchemist is one of the world's great comedies. It was first performed in 1610, and its success kept it in the repertory until the closing of the theatres. After the Restoration, it was one of the first plays to be revived and it has been produced with increasing frequency ever since. This edition is based on a reconsideration of the early texts, but the spelling and punctuation are modernized. The comprehensive introduction details Jonson's life and the play's stage history, discusses the text in detail, and has a section on alchemy.