Supplementary entertainment offered after a full-length play in 18th-century England. A short comedy, farce, or pantomime was presented to lighten the five-act Neoclassical tragedy that was commonly performed. A reduced admission price for latecomers, usually after the third act, enabled less-sophisticated playgoers and working people to see the end of the drama and the one-act afterpiece.

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An afterpiece is a short, usually humorous one-act playlet following the main attraction, the full-length play, and concluding the theatrical evening. This short comedy, farce, or pantomime was a popular theatrical form in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was presented to lighten the five-act tragedy that was commonly performed.

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