Ada Dyas (1843-1908) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

actress. She made her

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

debut in 1861 in '' Henry IV'', and became famous in the 1871 play based on

Wilkie Collins William Wilkie Collins (8 January 1824 – 23 September 1889) was an English novelist and playwright known especially for '' The Woman in White'' (1859), a mystery novel and early "sensation novel", and for '' The Moonstone'' (1868), which has b ...

's novel '' The Woman in White''.

Career

Ada Dyas was the daughter of Mrs. Edward Dyas, "an actress of some ability attached to the London theatres". Ada made her

debut in 1861 in '' Henry IV'', playing "Prince John of Lancaster".Pascoe, Charles E., ''Our Actors and Actresses'', Bogue, 1880
/ref> Dyas gained a degree of popularity while touring with " Miss Marie Wilton's London Comedy Company", where she played as "Esther Eccles" in

Thomas William Robertson Thomas William Robertson (9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) was an English dramatist and stage director. Born to a theatrical family, Robertson began as an actor, but he was not a success and gave up acting in his late 20s. After earning a m ...

's ''Caste''. In 1871 she was in the original cast of Wilkie Collins's ''The Woman in White'' which opened at the Olympic Theatre on October 9, playing both "Laura Fairlie" and "Anne Caherick". In 1873 she was at the Vaudeville Theater. Dyas's first American appearance was under the management of

Augustin Daly John Augustin Daly (July 20, 1838June 7, 1899) was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in America. He exer ...

in 1872 at the

Fifth Avenue Theatre Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In 1877, ...

, in New York, in ''Man and Wife'', based on the

's novel. Daly was a disciplinarian who set firm rules forbidding members of the company to leave the city without permission, even if they were not on the evening's bill, nor were they free to speak to visitors in the Greenroom. Dyas was one of those who took exception to the regulations and left to join Wallack's. Later, at Wallack's, her most successful rôles were those of Kate Hardcastle, Lady Teazle in ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sn ...

'', Lady Gay Spanker,

Lydia Languish ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 episode of the ...

, and especially that of Claire Ffolliott in Boucicault's ''

The Shaughraun ''The Shaughraun'' () is a melodramatic play written by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault. It was first performed at Wallack's Theatre, New York, on 14 November 1874. Dion Boucicault played Conn in the original production. The play was a huge ...

''. After Wallack's she became a member of the Madison Square Company. Albert Ellery Berg said of Dyas, she "...has a crisp, bright style which she uses with fine intelligence". She toured as Mrs. Ralston in ''Jim the Penman'' and as Mrs. Seabrooke in ''

Captain Swift ''Captain Swift'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Tom Terriss and Chester Bennett and starring Earle Williams, Florence Dixon and Edward Martindel. It is based on the 1898 play of the same title by C. Haddon Chambers.Goble p.7 ...

''. In 1892 she played

Goneril Goneril is a character in William Shakespeare's tragic play ''King Lear'' (1605). She is the eldest of King Lear's three daughters. Along with her sister Regan, Goneril is considered a villain, obsessed with power and overthrowing her elderly fa ...

in Sir Henry Irving's revival of ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane ...

'' at the

London Lyceum The Lyceum Theatre ( ) is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand in central London. It has a seating capacity of 2,100. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by Samuel Arnold, ...

. Her performance in ''The Shaughraun'' is mentioned in Edith Wharton's 1920 novel ''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine '' Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. App ...

''. Ada Dyas died in Seaton, England in 1908."Miss Ada Dyas Dead at Seaton, England", ''The Norwalk Hour'', March 14, 1908
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dyas, Ada 1843 births 1908 deaths British stage actresses Irish stage actresses 19th-century Irish actresses