Playwright hinders a hopeless production (8)

I believe the answer is:

sheridan

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'playwright' is the definition.
(I know that Sheridan is a playwright)

'hinders a hopeless production' is the wordplay.
'hinders a' can be anagrammed to 'SHERIDAN'.
Though, I'm not sure how this is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sheridan that I've seen before include "School for Scandal playwright" , "Irish writer" , "Creator of Mrs Malaprop in The Rivals" , "general, esteemed by Americans" , "Irish playwright and politician, d. 1816" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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