description Cox and Box Overview
"Cox and Box" is a one-act comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by F. C. Burnand, premiered in 1866. Adapted from an 1847 farce by J.
Maddison Morton, the plot revolves around a landlord who fraudulently rents the same room to two men—one working day shifts and the other night shifts. The piece represents Sullivan's first major theatrical success and features a sequence of comedic duets and trios. It paved the way for his later, highly influential collaborations with W. S.
Gilbert.
help Cox and Box FAQ
What is the plot of Cox and Box?
Sergeant Bouncer secretly rents the same room to Box and Cox, relying on their opposite work schedules. When the two lodgers discover the arrangement, the landlord's double-booking turns into a comic confrontation. [Arthur Sullivan archive](https://www.gsarchive.net/sullivan/cox_and_box/plot.html)
Who wrote the music and libretto for Cox and Box?
Arthur Sullivan wrote the music and F. C. Burnand wrote the libretto. The one-act operetta adapts John Maddison Morton's 1847 farce Box and Cox. [Arthur Sullivan archive](https://www.gsarchive.net/sullivan/cox_and_box/cox_box.pdf)
Was Cox and Box first performed in 1866 or 1867?
It received a private performance on May 26, 1866, while its first public staging came at London's Adelphi Theatre in 1867. That is why both years appear in descriptions of its premiere history. [Cox and Box research source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_and_Box)
Who are the main characters in Cox and Box?
The three central roles are Sergeant Bouncer, the landlord, and the lodgers Box and Cox. The comic engine is that their work schedules let Bouncer rent one room twice until both men return at the same time. [Arthur Sullivan archive](https://www.gsarchive.net/sullivan/cox_and_box/plot.html)
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