Elizabeth James was an English stage actress of the seventeenth century. She was a member of the

King's Company The King's Company was one of two enterprises granted the rights to mount theatrical productions in London, after the London theatre closure had been lifted at the start of the English Restoration. It existed from 1660 to 1682, when it merged wit ...

, based at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

. Several of her known performances were in the premieres of work by

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

. She also featured in the debut of

William Wycherley William Wycherley (baptised 8 April 16411 January 1716) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for the plays ''The Country Wife'' and ''The Plain Dealer''. Early life Wycherley was born at Clive near Shrewsbury, Shropsh ...

's '' The Country Wife'' in 1675. Her last known stage role was in 1676, although it appears she was still in the public eye more than a decade later.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.130-131

Selected roles

* Damilcar in '' Tyrannick Love'' by

(1669) * Isabella in ''

The Conquest of Granada ''The Conquest of Granada'' is a English Restoration, Restoration era stage play, a two-part tragedy written by John Dryden that was first acted in 1670 in literature, 1670 and 1671 in literature, 1671 and published in 1672 in literature, 1672. ...

'' by

(1670) * Alleria in '' The Generous Enemies'' by John Corye (1671) * Isabel in '' Love in a Wood'' by

(1671) * Amalthea in '' Marriage à la mode'' by

(1672) * Sophronia in ''

The Assignation ''The Assignation, or Love in a Nunnery'' is a Restoration comedy written by John Dryden. The play was first acted late in 1672, by the King's Company at their theatre at Lincoln's Inn Fields, but was not a success with its audience. Apart from ...

'' by

(1672) * Julia in '' Amboyna'' by

(1673) * Arabella in ''

The Amorous Old Woman ''The Amorous Old Woman; Or, 'Tis Well If It Take'' is a 1674 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Duffet. It was originally staged by the King's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre. It was part of the tradition of Restoration comedy. ...

'' by Thomas Duffett (1674) * Bianca in '' Othello'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(1675) * Aurana in '' Love in the Dark'' by Francis Fane (1675) * Mrs Alithea in '' The Country Wife'' by

(1675) * Julia in ''

Gloriana ''Gloriana'', Op. 53, is an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten to an English libretto by William Plomer, based on Lytton Strachey's 1928 ''Elizabeth and Essex: A Tragic History''. The first performance was presented at the Royal Opera Ho ...

'' by Nathaniel Lee (1676)

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800:''. SIU Press, 1982. * Lanier, Henry Wysham. ''The First English Actresses: From the Initial Appearance of Women on the Stage in 1660 Till 1700''. The Players, 1930. * Van Lennep, W. ''The London Stage, 1660–1800: Volume One, 1660–1700''. Southern Illinois University Press, 1960. 17th-century English people English stage actresses 17th-century English actresses Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown {{England-stage-actor-stub