Margaret Osborne or Osborn was an English

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

seventeenth century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 ( MDCI), to December 31, 1700 ( MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized by the Baroque cultural moveme ...

Lanier p.98 She was a long-standing member of the

Duke's Company The Duke's Company was a theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era, 1660. Sir William Davenant was manager of the company under the patronage of Prince James, Duke of York. During hats period, theatres b ...

from 1671, acting at

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in develo ...

and the

Dorset Garden Theatre The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the D ...

. She went to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

to work at the

Smock Alley Theatre Since the 17th century, there have been numerous theatres in Dublin with the name Smock Alley. The current Smock Alley Theatre () is a 21st-century theatre in Dublin, converted from a 19th-century church building, incorporating structural mat ...

in 1677, but returned to the Duke's Company around two years later She subsequently joined the merged

United Company The United Company was a London theatre company formed in 1682 with the merger of the King's Company and the Duke's Company. Both the Duke's and King's Companies suffered poor attendance during the turmoil of the Popish Plot period, 1678&ndas ...

in 1682 and was still acting in the 1690s.

Selected roles

* Alexandra in ''

Herod and Mariamne ''Herod and Mariamne'' is a 1671 tragedy by the English writer Samuel Pordage. It was first performed by the Duke's Company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London shortly before they moved to the Dorset Gardens Theatre. It was the company' ...

'' by

Samuel Pordage Samuel Pordage (1633 – c. 1691) was a 17th-century English poet. He is best known by his '' Azaria and Hushai'' (1682), a reply to John Dryden's '' Absalom and Achitophel''. Life Samuel was the eldest son of John Pordage, a clergyman from Brad ...

(1671) * Cornelia in ''

Charles VIII of France Charles VIII, called the Affable (french: l'Affable; 30 June 1470 – 7 April 1498), was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. He succeeded his father Louis XI at the age of 13.Paul Murray Kendall, ''Louis XI: The Universal Spider'' (Ne ...

'' by

John Crowne John Crowne (6 April 1641 – 1712) was a British dramatist. His father "Colonel" William Crowne, accompanied the earl of Arundel on a diplomatic mission to Vienna in 1637, and wrote an account of his journey. He emigrated to Nova Scotia where h ...

(1671) * Lady Turnup in ''

The Morning Ramble ''The Morning Ramble'' also known as ''The Mourning Ramble; Or, The Town-humours'' is a 1672 comedy play by the English writer Henry Nevil Payne. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Thomas ...

'' by

Henry Nevil Payne Henry Nevil Payne (died 1710?) was a dramatist and agitator for the Roman Catholic cause in Scotland and England. He wrote ''The Fatal Jealousy'' (1672), ''The Morning Ramble'' (1672), and ''The Siege of Constantinople'' (1675). After he finished w ...

(1672) * Flora in ''

The Fatal Jealousy ''The Fatal Jealousy'' (also written as ''The Fatal Jealousie'') is a 1672 tragedy by the English writer Henry Nevil Payne. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included William Smith as Don Antonio, ...

'' by

(1672) * Old Lady in ''

The Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, ...

'' by

John Webster John Webster (c. 1580 – c. 1632) was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies '' The White Devil'' and ''The Duchess of Malfi'', which are often seen as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. His life and car ...

(1672) * Mrs Clappam in ''

The Careless Lovers ''The Careless Lovers'' is a 1673 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. Staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company the original cast included Henry Norris as Mr Machworth, Philip Cademan as Mr Lovell, William Sm ...

'' by

Edward Ravenscroft Edward Ravenscroft (c. 1654–1707) was an English dramatist who belonged to an ancient Flintshire family. He was entered at the Middle Temple, but devoted his attention mainly to literature. Ravenscroft was the first critic to posit that Sh ...

(1673) * Lelia in ''

The Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

'' by Joseph Arrowsmith (1673) * Fredigond in '' Love and Revenge'' by

Elkanah Settle Elkanah Settle (1 February 1648 – 12 February 1724) was an England, English poet and playwright. Biography He was born at Dunstable, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1666, but left without taking a degree. His first tragedy, ''Cambyses, ...

(1674) * Elvira in ''

Abdelazer ''Abdelazer; or, The Moor's Revenge'' ( or ) is a 1676 play by Aphra Behn, an adaptation of the c. 1600 tragedy ''Lust's Dominion''. It is Behn's only tragic play. Plot Abdelazer is a captive Moor living at the court of King Philip of Spain, ...

'' by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

(1676) * Luce in ''

Tom Essence ''Tom Essence; Or, The Modish Wife'' is a 1676 comedy play by Thomas Rawlins, sometimes also attributed to Edward Ravenscroft. It was first performed at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London by the Duke's Company. Along with Thomas Otway's '' The ...

'' by

Thomas Rawlins Thomas Rawlins (1620?–1670) was an English medallist and playwright. Life Born about 1620, Rawlins appears to have received instruction as a goldsmith and gem engraver, and to have worked under Nicholas Briot at the Royal Mint. Rawlins's fi ...

(1676) * Widow Laudwell in ''

The Counterfeit Bridegroom ''The Counterfeit Bridegroom; Or, The Defeated Widow'' is a 1677 comedy play. The work's authorship is usually credited to Aphra Behn has been alternatively been attributed to Thomas Betterton. It was inspired by Thomas Middleton's Jacobean pla ...

'' by

(1677) * Florella in '' The Orphan'' by

Thomas Otway Thomas Otway (3 March 165214 April 1685) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for ''Venice Preserv'd'', or ''A Plot Discover'd'' (1682). Life Otway was born at Trotton near Midhurst, the parish of which his father, H ...

(1680) * Jane in ''

The London Cuckolds ''The London Cuckolds'' is a 1681 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. It was performed at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company. The original cast included Cave Underhill as Wiseacre, James Nokes as Doodle, Joseph W ...

'' by

(1681) * Jacinta in ''

The False Count ''The False Count, Or, A New Way to play An Old Game,'' is a comedic play written by Aphra Behn, first performed in 1681 and published in 1682. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The cast included Willi ...

'' by

(1681) * Mrs Sly in '' Mr. Turbulent'' by

Anonymous Anonymous may refer to: * Anonymity, the state of an individual's identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown ** Anonymous work, a work of art or literature that has an unnamed or unknown creator or author * Anonym ...

(1682) * Mrs Helen in ''

Dame Dobson ''Dame Dobson'' is a 1683 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. First staged by the United Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre, the original cast included Katherine Corey as Dame Dobson, Edward Kynaston as Collonel, Thomas Jevon ...

'' by

(1683) * Ariadne in ''

A Commonwealth of Women ''A Commonwealth of Women'' is a 1685 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. Originally performed by the United Company as the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the cast included Joseph Williams as Captain Marine, Philip Griffin as Du Pier, ...

'' by

Thomas D'Urfey Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera. Life D'Urfey was born in Devonshi ...

(1685) * Grycia in '' The Amorous Bigotte'' by

Thomas Shadwell Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689. Life Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Lynford, Norfolk, and educated at Bury ...

(1690) * Lady Hazard in ''

Greenwich Park Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south-east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed (in 1433), it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Herita ...

'' by

William Mountfort William Mountfort (c. 1664 – 10 December 1692), England, English actor and dramatic writer, was the son of a Staffordshire gentleman. Biography His first stage appearance was with the Dorset Garden Theatre company about 1678, and by 168 ...

(1691) * Teareshift in '' Love for Money'' by

(1691)

References

Bibliography

* Bush-Bailey, Gilli. ''Treading the bawds: Actresses and playwrights on the Late Stuart stage''. Manchester University Press, 2013. * 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