Jane Egleton (died 1734) was a British

stage actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

of the

eighteenth century The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 ( MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 ( MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. During the century, slave tradi ...

associated with John Rich's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre. He origins are not entirely clear, but she acted under the name Jane Giffard or Mrs Giffard until 1721 when she married John Egleton. She may either have been previously married to one of the members of the Giffard acting clan or been born into the family herself.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.199 In 1728 she was the original Lucy Lockit in John Gay's ''

The Beggar's Opera ''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of satiri ...

''. She continued to act with Rich's company at Lincoln's Inn until 1732 and then remained for the first year after the switch to the new Covent Garden Theatre before retiring.

Selected roles

* Bettrice in ''

The Lady's Triumph ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

'' (1718) * Le Jupe in ''

The Coquet ''The Coquet, or the English Chevalier'' is a 1718 comedy play by the Irish writer Charles Molloy. Staged at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre the original cast included Lacy Ryan as Bellamy, Benjamin Griffin as Monsieur Caprice, John Leigh as ...

'' (1718) * Lucy in ''

'Tis Well if it Takes ''Tis Well if it Takes'' is a 1719 comedy play by the British writer William Taverner (dramatist), William Taverner. It premiered at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, Lincoln's Inn Fields on 28 February 1719. The original cast included John Leigh (1 ...

'' (1719) * Lady Raleigh in '' Sir Walter Raleigh'' (1720) * Iris in '' Love and Duty'' (1722) * Mother Stubble in '' Hanging and Marriage'' (1722) * Salome in ''

Mariamne Mariamne is a name frequently used in the Herodian royal house. In Greek it is spelled Μαριάμη (Mariame) by Josephus; in some editions of his work the second ''m'' is doubled (Mariamme). In later copies of those editions the spelling was ...

'' (1723) * The Devil of a Wife in '' The Devil of a Wife'' (1724) * Frizle in '' The Capricious Lovers'' (1725) * Lady Amsbace in '' The Bath Unmasked'' (1725) * Lettice in ''

The Dissembled Wanton ''The Dissembled Wanton'' is a 1726 comedy play by the British writer Leonard Welsted. The original Lincoln's Inn Fields cast included James Quin as Lord Severne, Lacy Ryan Lacy Ryan (c. 1694–1760), English actor, appeared at the Haymar ...

'' (1725) * Mrs Joiner in ''

The Female Fortune Teller ''The Female Fortune Teller'' is a 1726 comedy play by the British writer Charles Johnson.Nicoll p.142 It is a reworking of Edward Ravenscroft's 1683 restoration comedy ''Dame Dobson''. The original cast featured James Quin as Spring, Lacy Ry ...

'' (1726) * Lucy Lockit in ''

'' (1728) * Wife of Bath in '' The Wife of Bath'' (1730)

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Garrick to Gyngell''. SIU Press, 1978. * Straub, Kristina, G. Anderson, Misty and O'Quinn, Daniel . ''The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama''. Taylor & Francis, 2017. 18th-century English people English stage actresses British stage actresses 18th-century English actresses 18th-century British actresses Year of birth unknown 1734 deaths {{England-bio-stub