Anne Bracegirdle

Anne Bracegirdle (possibly 167112 September 1748) was an English actress.

Biography

Bracegirdle was born to Justinian and Martha (born Furniss) Bracegirdle in Northamptonshire. She was baptised in Northampton on 15 November 1671, although her tombstone says that she died at the age of 85 (suggesting that she was born around 1663)."Anne was baptized, probably as an infant, at St Giles, Northampton, on 15 November 1671 and was about seventy-seven when she died in 1748, rather than eighty-five, as recorded on her tombstone in Westminster Abbey." J. Milling, "Bracegirdle, Anne (bap. 1671, d. 1748)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 201
accessed 1 June 2012
/ref> She was probably raised by actors Thomas and Mary Betterton from an early age,J. Milling, "Bracegirdle, Anne (bap. 1671, d. 1748)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 201
accessed 1 June 2012
/ref> and it is speculated that she was the "little girl" referred to several times in playbills before 1688 for the Duke's Company, where Thomas Betterton was the big star. For this reason it has been concluded by the Garrick Club that 1673 is the date of her birth.

Her name first appears in the Lord Chamberlain's accounts in 1688 as a member of the United Company (into which the Duke's Company had by then merged), and a few of her roles in the following years are known through surviving manuscript cast lists. She played Semernia in Aphra Behn's ''The Widow Ranter'' in 1689, a breeches role, a type of role she would often return to, and was by 1690 playing parts like Lady Anne in Shakespeare's ''Richard III'' and Desdemona in ''Othello''. She performed many of the lead female roles in the plays of William Congreve. Soon, she had become one of the important members of the company and an audience favourite, indicated by the frequency with which she spoke prologues and epilogues.

In 1705 she played in Nicholas Rowe's tragedy '' Ulysses''.

After 1705 she found a serious competitor in Anne Oldfield, then first coming into public favour. As it became apparent that audiences preferred her rival, Anne Bracegirdle quit the stage, making only one reappearance at Betterton's benefit in 1709.

Cibber's account

Colley Cibber described Bracegirdle in his autobiography as she appeared in 1690, when he first joined the company at Drury Lane:

She had no greater Claim to Beauty than what the most desirable Brunette might pretend to. But her Youth and lively Aspect threw out such a Glow of Health and Chearfulness, that on the Stage few Spectators that were not past it could behold her without Desire. It was even a Fashion among the Gay and Young to have a Taste or Tendre for Mrs. Bracegirdle… In all the chief Parts she acted, the Desirable was so predominant, that no Judge could be cold enough to consider from what other particular Excellence she became delightful.

Cibber was smitten. He describes his own highest acting ambition (never fulfilled) as a new and inconspicuous company employee to have been that of "playing a Lover with Mrs. Bracegirdle". In 1692, the "tendre" felt by both Captain Richard Hill and the actor William Mountfort, caused a celebrated tragedy. The jealous Hill and a gang of toughs led by the infamous Lord Mohun attempted to abduct Anne and murdered Mountfort, her presumed lover, in the street. Hill made his escape from justice, but Mohun stood trial and was acquitted. Both died violent deaths years later. It was said that the publicity assisted her career and she was still called the "celebrated virgin" in 1702.

Bracegirdle made a request to be buried in Westminster Abbey, a wish that was fulfilled.

Selected roles

* Antelina in '' The Injured Lovers'' by William Mountfort (1688)
* Semernia in '' The Widow Ranter'' by Aphra Behn (1689)
* Urania in '' Alphonso, King of Naples'' by George Powell (1690)
* Biancha in '' The Successful Strangers'' by Thomas Shadwell (1690)
*Cleomira in ''Distressed Innocence'' by Elkanah Settle (1690)
* Maria in ''Edward III'' by William Mountfort (1690)
* Miranda in '' The Mistakes'' by Joseph Harris (1690)
*Charlotte in '' Sir Anthony Love'' by Thomas Southerne (1690)
* Julia in '' The English Frier'' by John Crowne (1690)
* Marcelia in ''The Treacherous Brothers'' by George Powell (1690)
* Emmeline in '' King Arthur'' by John Dryden (1691)
* Tamira in '' Bussy D'Ambois'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1691)
* Mrs Sightly in '' The Wives Excuse'' by Thomas Southerne (1691)
* Mirtilla in ''Love for Money'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1691)
* Cleora in ''Cleomenes, the Spartan Hero'' by John Dryden (1692)
* Rosamund in '' Henry II'' by William Mountfort (1692)
* Phoebe in '' The Marriage-Hater Matched'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1692)
* Clara in '' The Volunteers'' by Thomas Shadwell (1692)
* Araminta in '' The Old Bachelor'' by William Congreve (1693)
* Lady Trickitt in '' The Maid's Last Prayer'' by Thomas Southerne (1693)
* Mariana in '' The Female Virtuosos'' by Thomas Wright (1693)
*Fulvia in ''The Richmond Heiress'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1693)
* Camilla in ''The Married Beau'' by John Crowne (1694)
* Celidea in ''Love Triumphant'' by John Dryden (1694)
* Clarismunda in '' The Ambitious Slave'' by Elkanah Settle (1694)
* Villeria in '' The Fatal Marriage'' by Thomas Southerne (1694)
* Angelica in '' Love for Love'' by William Congreve (1695)
* Angelica in '' The She-Gallants'' by George Granville (1695)
* Lausaria in ''Cyrus the Great'' by John Banks (playwright) (1695)
* Belinda in '' The Provoked Wife'' by John Vanbrugh (1696)
* Camilla in '' Boadicea, Queen of Britain'' by Charles Hopkins (1697)
*Mrs Beauclair in The Innocent Mistress by Mary Pix (1697)
* Placentia in ''Beauty in Distress'' by Peter Anthony Motteux (1698)
* Lucia in '' The Squire of Alsatia'' by Thomas Shadwell (1698)
* Locris in '' Friendship Improved'' by Charles Hopkins (1699)
* Lovisa in '' The False Friend'' by Mary Pix (1699)
* Amestris in '' The Ambitious Stepmother'' by Nicholas Rowe (1700)
* Millamant in '' The Way of the World'' by William Congreve (1700)
* Guinoenda in '' Love's Victim'' by Charles Gildon (1701)
* Fulvia in '' The Ladies Visiting Day''by William Burnaby (1701)
* Cytheria in '' The Double Distress'' by Mary Pix (1701)
* Selima in ''Tamerlane'' by Nicholas Rowe (1701)
* Orinda in '' As You Find It'' by Charles Boyle (1703)
* Caesario in '' Love Betrayed'' by William Burnaby (1703)
* Angelica in '' The Gamester'' by Susanna Centlivre (1705)
* Flippanta in '' The Confederacy'' by John Vanbrugh (1705)
* Semanthe in '' Ulysses'' by Nicholas Rowe (1705)
* Lucindain '' The Platonick Lady'' by Susanna Centlivre (1706)
* Laura in '' Adventures in Madrid'' by Mary Pix (1706)

References

Sources

*Cibber, Colley (first published 1740, ed. Robert Lowe, 1889)
''An Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'', vol.1

vol 2
. London.
* This cites:
** Genest, ''History of the Stage''
**Colley Gibber, ''Apology'' (edited by Bellchambers)
**Egerton, ''Life of Anne Oldfield''
** Downes, '' Roscius Anglicanus''
*Highfill, Philip Jr, Burnim, Kalman A., and Langhans, Edward (1973–93). ''Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800''. 16 volumes. Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press.
*Howe, Elizabeth (1992). ''The First English Actresses: Women and Drama 1660–1700''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

External links

Anne Bracegirdle (1671–1748)
at TheatreDatabase.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bracegirdle, Anne
English stage actresses
17th-century English actresses
18th-century English actresses
1671 births
1748 deaths