The School for Scandal

Elizabeth Freestone's production of Sheridan's classic is a long way from the lace wristbands and fussily flourished bows that used to be conventional for eighteenth-century revivals. Using the same permanent setting as the production of Doctor Faustus with which it plays in repertoire, plus a traverse curtain for front scenes and the addition of some piles of newspapers on top of its bookcases and some splayed pages down by the added footlights to remind us of contemporary scandal sheets, it moves along at a delightful canter, challenging its audience to keep up with its non-stop flow of wit.

Directed by Elizabeth Freestone, The School for Scandal leans on a strong ensemble — Guy Burgess, Amy Rockson, Harvey Virdi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2010.