Alexis Piron (1689-1773) was one of the most renowned humorists of eighteenth-century France, his rapier wit feared even by Voltaire. As a playwright, he was one of the most versatile of the period, writing for both the official French and Italian theatres and the unofficial troupes of the Parisian Fairs. Although, like those of most of his contemporaries, his plays have disappeared from the repertoire, La Metromanie, the comedy in which he brings to the stage his mockery of Voltaire, has always been known and enjoyed on the page. More recent interest in popular culture is leading to...