Don Gil of the Green Breeches (Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes)

Don Gil of the Green Breeches - as befits a high farce - is much concerned with disguise, mistaken identity, role-reversal, ghosts, and trousers!

Dona Juana, jilted by her lover Don Martin, follows him to Madrid, where, under the assumed name of Don Gil, he is courting the wealthy Dona Ines. Dressed as a man in a distinctive pair of green breeches, Dona Juana also masquerades as Don Gil

Don Martin is outwitted by his transvestite rival, who wrecks his schemes before leading him, shell-shocked, to the altar!

In his lively, accurate and fluent line-by-line verse translation of this play Gordon Minter admirably conveys the unique flavour of Tirso's sparkling wit

Additionally, in his stimulating Introduction and Commentary he argues that this effervescent drama deliberately subverts the Don Juan legend to show that the Trickster of Seville's female counterpart can be just as resourceful and predatory when the restoration of her honour is at stake

The further revelation that "Don of the Green Breeches" has - unobtrusively and unnoticed - contributed an important strand to subsequent European versions of the Don Juan legend completes a scholarly reappraisal of the significance of a work too often regarded as little more than a highly amusing dramatic confection