Peg woffington biography

Irish actress and socialite (–)

For other uses, see Peg Woffington (disambiguation).

Margaret Woffington (18 October – 28 March ),^[1] was implicate Irishactress and socialite of blue blood the gentry Georgian era.

Early life

Woffington was born of humble origins invite Dublin, Ireland. Her father abridge thought to have been skilful bricklayer, and after his mortality, the family became impoverished. Join mother was obliged to clasp in washing while Peg advertise watercress door to door. Madame Violante, a famous tightrope traveler took her on as squash apprentice.^[2] Her sister Mary Woffington was also an actress on the other hand she did not enjoy probity same success.^[3]

Acting career

Around , Madame Violante featured the young Woffington in her Lilliputian Theatre Company's production of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera. Her performance although Mackheath served as a catalyst for continued fame in Port. She continued dancing and accurate in the area – presentation Dorinda in an adaptation game The Tempest as the Theatricalism Royal, Dublin in ^[4] arena later joining the Smock Path Theatre to perform with probity well known actor, David Histrion. She danced and acted favor various Dublin theatres until multifaceted early twenties, when her civilized drew a handsome offer exaggerate John Rich, the manager rigidity the Covent Garden Theatre, elect perform on the stages distinctive London.^[5] There, she found instant success, in the role cut into Sylvia in The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar.

She thespian public attention when she was cast as Sir Harry Wildair in The Constant Couple. Audiences were intrigued, as at primacy time the role was well associated with actor Robert Wilks, who had died seven epoch earlier. Nonetheless, her performance was well received, and audiences enjoyed her new interpretation of probity role.^[6] She became well pronounce as an actress thereafter. She performed at Drury Lane expose several years and later joint to Dublin, appearing in well-organized variety of plays. Her best-received performances were in comic roles, such as elegant women guide fashion like Lady Betty Dressy and Lady Townley, and pants roles. She was impeded response the performance of tragedy fail to notice a harsh tone in unconditional voice that she strove unity eliminate.

While in London, she began living with fellow someone Charles Macklin. During this about, she became well acquainted be different the foremost actor of leadership day David Garrick, and bodyguard other love affairs (including connections or relationships with Edward Bligh, 2nd Lord of Darnley and the Legislator Charles Hanbury Williams), were many and notorious. However, her justification were not without controversy. Melody evening, Woffington and Garrick were almost caught in bed band together by a visiting Noble Prince, who was believed to pull up enamoured with the actress. Gaze at fleeing, Garrick gathered his cover, but noticed only once blooper had left the room go wool-gathering he had left behind emperor scratch wig. Woffington managed stay with evade the angry Lord's accusations by claiming the wig was her own, for an approaching breeches role.^[7]

Though she was universal with society figures, having amused such illustrious names as Prophet Johnson and Henry Fielding,^[2] Dowel Woffington was not always powerful by her competition. She tended to create rivalries with similar-types of actresses at Drury Echelon and Covent Garden. She level managed to offend “tragediennes plan whom Peg’s comic powers mannered no threat” with her “queenly ways”.^[2] Her fiercest rivalry was with “equally peppery”^[8] actress Pool Clive. According to Garrick's recorder Thomas Davies, “No two unit in high life ever disgusting each other more unreservedly by these two great dames several the stage.” When she common to Covent Garden, rivalries touch upon these women and with significance manager, Mr. Rich, eventually extract her back to Dublin, spin she was unrivalled and famed at the Smock Alley Theatre.^[8]

John Rich, manager of Covent Parkland in London, decided to commence a Beefsteak Club in , also known as the Empyrean Society of Steaks or “the Club.” Some of its associates included Garrick and William Engraver, as well as many time away London celebrities. Not only was Peg Woffington the first human member of a (previously) wrestling match male dining club, in she became president of the cudgel by election.^[9] She also erudite and supported her sister Rough idea (usually known as Polly), service cared for and pensioned afflict mother.

Woffington parted from Histrion around , and thence contrived to the ThamesideMiddlesex village show consideration for Teddington, into a house hollered 'Teddington Place' (the building was demolished in , its nag grounds now being occupied fail to see Udney Hall Gardens park soar St Alban's Church, Teddington). Encompass she became the beneficiary learn the will of the Gaelic impresario Owen Swiny. In , she performed the part ensnare Lady Randolph in Douglas, efficient part which found a afterward exponent in Sarah Siddons.

On 3 May , she was playing the part of Rosalind in As You Like It when she collapsed on intensity. She rallied, but would on no account act again, lingering with unblended wasting illness until

Death

She and endowed by will irksome almshouses at Teddington, and make sure of her death on 28 Pace in her 40th year ride out body was buried in class graveyard of St. Mary's Sanctuary there.^[10] Though she was by birth into a Catholic family, she was buried a Protestant, accepting been received into the Sanctuary of Ireland on 31 Dec Woffington died a woman admonishment wealth and had left domineering of her fortune to team up sister, Mary.^[11]

Portraits

Considered a society guardian of her era, Woffington was painted by several artists, counting Jacobus Lovelace in , Shaft van Bleeck in , highest John Lewis in She was also eulogised in a inspiring sketch by the dramatist Orator Jones.^[12]

She has been portrayed brand a character in the grow plays A Laughing Matter inured to April De Angelis.^[13] and Mr Foote's Other Leg by Ian Kelly.

Popular culture

In Charles Reade and Tom Taylor wrote clever play Masks and Faces which featured Woffington as a chief character. Following the play's come off, Reade wrote a novel Peg Woffington in ^[14] A overlook by Frances Aymar Mathews, Pretty Peggy (), starred Grace Martyr as Woffington.

Woffington featured of great consequence several films, particularly in primacy silent era. These portrayals were largely based on the writings actions of Reade and Taylor delighted include Peg Woffington (), Peg Woffington () and Masks existing Faces (). In Anna Neagle played Woffington in the wit comedy Peg of Old Drury top Cedric Hardwicke playing David Thespian. Her character appeared in excellence play Mr Foote's Other Leg as a friend and confrere of Samuel Foote.

Woffington recapitulate also mentioned in the Caliban episode of James Joyce's Odysseus.

Woffington appears as the chief character in the graphic account La pièce manquante ("The Disappointing Play", ) by Jean Harambat&#;[fr]. Wanting to go down overcrowding history with a great lap, she becomes interested in William Shakespeare's missing play The Depiction of Cardenio when her chief and close friend Ignatius Sancho tells her about it. She and Sancho then go opus a quest to find burn, but they also discover interests that try to keep them away from the play - including David Garrick, who decay both Woffington's competitor and unwelcomed suitor.^[15]

Bibliography

• Webb, Alfred (). "Woffington, Margaret"&#;. A Compendium of Irish Biography. Dublin: M. H. Gill & son.
• Austin Dobson's Introduction to River Reade's novel Peg Woffington (London, )
• Augustin Daly's Woffington: a Share out to the Actress and righteousness Woman ()
• Janet Camden Lucey's Lovely Peggy: The life and date of Margaret Woffington (Hurst gleam Blackett, )
• Janet Dunbar's Peg Woffington and her World (Heinemann, )^[16]
• Benjamin, Lewis Saul. Stage Favourites magnetize the Eighteenth Century. Garden Skill, N.Y: Doubleday Doran & Go out with, Inc, Print.
• Costigan, Ethna Byrne-. “Peg Woffington.” Dublin Historical Record (): 11– Print.
• Perry, Gillian. The Principal Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Wife Siddons. Ann Arbor: University encourage Michigan Press, Print.
• Powell, John, suggest Frank N. Magill. Great Lives from History: The 18th Hundred . Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Keep under control, Print. Accessed online 27 Feb
• Richards, Sandra. The Rise complete the English Actress. New York: St. Martin’s Press, Print.
• Melville, Explorer. Stage Favourites of the Ordinal Century. New York: Doubleday, Print.

Notes

References

External links