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The Mother-in-Law
''The Mother-in-Law'' is a 1734 comedy play by the British writer James Miller (playwright), James Miller. Also known by the longer title ''The Mother-in-Law, or the Doctor the Disease'' it debuted at the Haymarket Theatre in London. The original Haymarket cast included Benjamin Griffin (actor), Benjamin Griffin as Sir Credulous Hippish, John Mills (stage actor), John Mills as Heartwell, William Mills (actor), William Mills as Beaumont, Benjamin Johnson (actor), Benjamin Johnson as Doctor Mummy, Joe Miller (actor), Joe Miller as Doctor Discordiam, Theophilus Cibber as Looby Headpiece, John Harper (actor), John Harper as Galleypot, James Oates as Poet, Hannah Pritchard as Belina and Mary Heron (actress), Mary Heron as Primrose. References Bibliography * Baines, Paul & Ferarro, Julian & Rogers, Pat. ''The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Eighteenth-Century Writers and Writing, 1660-1789''. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''History of English Drama, 1660-1900, Volum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Miller (playwright)
James Miller (1704–1744) was an English playwright, poet, librettist, and minister. Biography Miller was born in Bridport, Dorset on 11 August 1704, the son of a clergyman who possessed two considerable livings in the county. He studied at Wadham College, Oxford, and while there wrote part of his famous comedy, '' The Humours of Oxford'', which contained music by Richard Charke and was first performed on 9 January 1730, to great success. Miller's family was somewhat unsupportive of his theatrical endeavors. They had wanted him to pursue a career in business, but Miller showed a revulsion to such a path. He therefore was persuaded to follow in his father's profession as a minister, taking holy orders soon after he left Wadham. Miller became a lecturer at Trinity College, Conduit Street and a preacher at Roehampton Chapel. The livings for these positions however did not provide for the lifestyle that Miller was accustomed to, so he continued to write for the stage to supp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote acquired the lease in 1747, and in 1766 he gained a royal patent to play legitimate drama (meaning spoken drama, as opposed to opera, concerts or plays with music) in the summer months. The original building was a little further north in the same street. It has been at its current location since 1821, when it was redesigned by John Nash. It is a Grade I listed building, with a seating capacity of 888. The freehold of the theatre is owned by the Crown Estate. The Haymarket has been the site of a significant innovation in theatre. In 1873, it was the venue for the first scheduled matinée performance, establishing a custom soon followed in theatres everywhere. Its managers have included Benjamin Nottingham Webster, John Baldwin Buckstone, S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comedy Play
Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity. For ancient Greeks and Romans, a comedy was a stage-play with a happy ending. In the Middle Ages, the term expanded to include narrative poems with happy endings and a lighter tone. In this sense Dante used the term in the title of his poem, the ''Divine Comedy'' (Italian: ''Divina Commedia''). The phenomena connected with laughter and that which provokes it have been carefully investigated by psychologists. The predominating characteristics are incongruity or contrast in the object, and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject. It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor: thus Thomas Hobbes speaks of laughter as a "sudden glory." Modern investigators have paid much attention to the origin both of laughter and of smiling, as well as the development of the "play insti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benjamin Griffin (actor)
Benjamin Griffin (1680–1740), was an English actor and dramatist. He was the son of the Rev. Benjamin Griffin, rector of Buxton and Oxnead in Norfolk, and chaplain to the Earl of Yarmouth. Early life Griffin was born in Yarmouth in 1680, and educated at the free school, North Walsham. He was apprenticed to a glazier at Norwich, where in 1712 he joined a strolling company. In 1714-15 he was one of the company with which Christopher Rich opened the rebuilt theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Acting career His name first appears in surviving records, 16 Feb. 1715, as Sterling in '' The Perplexed Couple''. On 2 June he was Ezekiel Prim, a presbyterian parson, in the ''A City Ramble ''A City Ramble: or, the humours of the compter'' (sometimes ''The City Ramble'') is a 1715 dramatic comedy play by the British writer Charles Knipe. It was first performed at Lincoln's-Inn Fields Theatre, London in 1715. It was performed as an a ...'', and on 14 June Sir Arthur Addlepate in his own ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Mills (stage Actor)
John Mills (c.1670–1736) was a British stage actor. A long-standing part of the Drury Lane company from 1695 until his death, he appeared in both comedies and tragedies. His wife Margaret Mills was an actress, and his son William Mills also became an actor at Drury Lane. He was a friend of the playwright Richard Steele and Robert Wilks the lead actor and manager at Drury Lane with whom he frequently appeared on stage. He died on 17 December 1736, thirteen days after performing in his final role as the King in '' Henry IV, Part 2''.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.249 Selected roles * Pedro in '' Agnes de Castro'' by Catherine Trotter (1695) * Castillio in ''Neglected Virtue'' by Charles Hopkins (1696) * Pisano in ''The Unhappy Kindness'' by Thomas Scott (1696) * Lovewell in ''Love and a Bottle'' by George Farquhar (1698) * Colonel Darange in '' The Campaigners'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1698) * Vizard in ''The Constant Couple'' by George Farquhar (1699) * Don Duart in ''Love Makes a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Mills (actor)
William Mills (1701-1750) was a British stage actor. The son of veteran stage actor John Mills and his wife Margaret Mills, he was born in London and baptised at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 29 June 1701. Under his father's guidance he made his debut as a child actor in 1712. Like his father, he was a long-standing member of the Drury Lane theatre company. He took part in the Actor Rebellion of 1733, and left to work at the Haymarket Theatre for a season before returning to Drury Lane. His last appearance was in ''The Merchant of Venice'' in February 1750 and he died two months later on 18 April, shortly before a benefit was to be staged for him, and was buried at St Martin-in-the-Fields. He was married to the actress Theodosia Mills until her death in 1733, after which he married another actress Elizabeth Holliday.The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama p.lviii With his first wife he had a daughter also called Theodosia who likewise became an actre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benjamin Johnson (actor)
Benjamin Johnson (1742) was an English actor. Bibliography Johnson was first a scene painter, then acted in the provinces, and appeared in London in 1695 at Drury Lane after Thomas Betterton's defection. He was the original Captain Driver in ''Oronooko'' (1696), Captain Fireball in George Farquhar's ''Sir Harry Wildair'' (1701) and Sable in Richard Steele's ''The Funeral'' (1702); he was particularly well regarded as the First Gravedigger in ''Hamlet'' and as several characters in the plays of Ben Jonson. He also succeeded to Thomas Doggett's roles. In 1715 he starred in John Gay's hit comedy ''The What D'Ye Call It ''The What D'Ye Call It'' is a 1715 farce by the British writer John Gay. It was written as a parody of tragic plays, with particular reference to Thomas Otway's ''Venice Preserv'd''. It was originally performed as an afterpiece with Nicholas ...'' at Drury Lane. References 1665 births 1742 deaths 17th-century English male actors 18th-century Englis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Miller (actor)
Joseph Miller (1684 – 15 August 1738) was an English actor, who first appeared in the cast of Sir Robert Howard's ''Committee'' at Drury Lane in 1709 as Teague. Trinculo in '' The Tempest'', the First Grave-digger in ''Hamlet'' and Marplot in Susanna Centlivre's ''The Busybody'', were among his many favourite parts. He is said to have been a friend of Hogarth. In 1715 he appeared on bills promoting a performance on the last day of April, where he played Young Clincher in Farquhar's comedy, ''The Constant Couple''. On 25 April 1717 he played Sir Joseph Whittol in William Congreve's "Old Batchelor". Tickets for this performance were adorned by a design by William Hogarth showing the scene where Whittol's friend Captain Bluffe is kicked by Sharper whilst his friend Bellmour tries to pull him away. This is described as a "very valuable engraving" in 1868. This ticket design was used for Joe Millers benefit performance on 13 April 1738. In "vacation periods" between working at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theophilus Cibber
Theophilus Cibber (25 or 26 November 1703 – October 1758) was an English actor, playwright, author, and son of the actor-manager Colley Cibber. He began acting at an early age, and followed his father into theatrical management. In 1727, Alexander Pope satirized Theophilus Cibber in his ''Dunciad'' as a youth who "thrusts his person full into your face" (III 132). On the stage, he was famous for playing Pistol in '' Henry IV, Part 2'', and some of the comic roles his father had played when younger, but unsympathetic critics accused him of overemphasis.Barker, p. 166 His private life later led Theophilus into bad reputation and scandal. He died in a shipwreck while bound for Ireland and a season in Dublin. Early life and career Theophilus Cibber was born during the Great Storm of 1703 and began acting in the Drury Lane Theatre at the age of 16 in 1721.Barker, p. 165 As a young man, Cibber was a notorious rake, and associated with young men of a similar mind and reputation, such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Harper (actor)
John Harper (died 1742) was an English actor. He was known for comic parts. Life Harper originally performed at Bartholomew Fair and Southwark Fair; a performance for his benefit at William Bullock's booth in Birdcage Alley, consisting of '' The Jew of Venice'', songs and dances, and the drunken man by Harper, was announced in ''The Daily Courant'' of 24 September 1719. On 7 November 1719 at Lincoln's Inn Fields Harper was the original Montmorency in Charles Beckingham's ''Henry IV of France''. He remained at Lincoln's Inn Fields until 1721.Playing among other parts Dr. Caius in the ''Merry Wives of Windsor'', and Ajax in ''Troilus and Cressida''. On 27 October 1721 his name appears as Sir Epicure Mammon in ''The Alchemist'' at Drury Lane. Here he remained for eleven years, taking parts for a low comedian. For some years he was the Falstaff of Drury Lane, and was more popular in the part than his rival James Quin. He also played the king in '' King Henry VIII'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Oates
James Oates (died 1751) was a British stage actor. Possibly of Irish birth, he was a long-standing member of the Drury Lane company from 1718, and also appeared at the summer fairs in London including Southwark and Bartholomew Fair. He specialised in supporting roles, often in comedies. He was with Drury Lane for twenty one seasons, and later also became a tavern-owner alongside his acting duties. Like several actors of the era he was a freemason.Peter His wife and daughter were both actresses. Selected roles * Jeremy in '' The Play is the Plot'' by John Durant Breval (1718) * Thracion in '' The Spartan Dame'' by Thomas Southerne (1719) * Courtly in '' A Wife to be Lett'' by Eliza Haywood (1723) * Citizen in ''Double Falsehood'' by Lewis Theobald (1727) * File in '' The Village Opera'' by Charles Johnson (writer) (1729) * Mopsus in ''Love in a Riddle'' by Colley Cibber (1729) * Dash in '' The Humours of Oxford'' by James Miller (1730) * Bassoon in '' Bayes's Opera'' by Ga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hannah Pritchard
Hannah Pritchard (née Vaughan, 1711–1768) was an English actress who regularly played opposite David Garrick. She performed many significant Shakespearean roles and created on stage many important female roles by contemporary playwrights. Life She was born in 1711, and married in early life a poor actor named Pritchard. As Mrs. Pritchard she acted in 1733, at Fielding and Hippisley's booth, ''Bartholomew Fair'', the part of Loveit in an opera called ''A Cure for Covetousness, or the Cheats of Scapin''. She sang with great effect "Sweet, if you love me, smiling, turn". A duet between her and an actor called Salway was very popular, and she was berhymed by a writer in the ''Daily Post'', who spoke of this as her first essay, and predicted for her "a transportation to a brighter stage". This was soon accomplished, since she appeared at the Haymarket Theatre on 26 Sept. 1733 as Nell in ''The Devil to Pay'' of Coffey. She was one of the company known as the "Comedians of his Majest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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