The Recruiting Officer Book

According to the introduction in this edition of the play, The Recruiting Officer is something of a transitional play between Restoration comedy proper and 18th century drama (which was much more limited, less interesting, and less entertaining). I haven't read widely enough in either Restoration or 18th century drama--though I've read more Restoration comedy--to really be able to identify a clear dividing line in themes or styles. However, I think Farquhar's play is an interesting divergence from the typical Restoration comedy of manners style, because it focuses a lot of attention on common people and it is set entirely in the country, whereas most Restoration comedies centered around the court and the amorous dalliances of the aristocracy--the dramatic equivalent of rococco painting. In addition to Fraquhar's experiences as a recruiting officer in western England, which directly inform the play, I wonder if these thematic/stylistic divergences come from his own position as an Anglo-Irishman living outside Ireland. I wonder if the displacement he felt translated into a unique approach to the dramatic material that was then prevalent on the stage.