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The first two Georges were known as 'Dunce the First' and 'Dunce the Second', and George III was better known for his opinions on farming than on his literary taste. Unlike in France, where the glittering court was considered the pinnacle of fashion, artistic innovation in Britain moved away from royalty and towards the public during the reign of the Georges.
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There was an explosion of popular comic, political and satirical writing. The most famous operetta of the time was John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, first staged in 1728. A satire on the corrupt administration of Robert Walpole, and a parody of highbrow oratorios and operas like Handel's, it used popular tunes to portray the powerful as gangsters who were instantly and noisily recognised by the crowd – 'thief-taker general' Jonathan Wild is said to have been the model for Peachum.
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The theatres were huge: in 1794, the Drury Lane held 3,611 people and even Norwich's theatre could play to more than 1,000. Audiences knew what they wanted and were prone to riot if they didn't get it.
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