Margaret Saunders or Mrs Saunders (born 1686 - c. 1748) was a British actress.

Life

Saunders was born in Weymouth and attended a boarding school in Wiltshire before being apprenticed by a milliner. At the age of sixteen she began her acting career at

Drury Lane Theatre 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 Drur ...

due to an introduction by her lifelong friend

Anne Oldfield Anne Oldfield (168323 October 1730) was an English actress and one of the highest paid actresses of her time. Early life and discovery She was born in London in 1683. Her father was a soldier, James Oldfield. Her mother was either Anne or Eliz ...

. In 1708 and 1709 she was billed "Mrs Saunders" for her performances at Drury Lane. but it appears that she never married as she was declared a spinster when she died. Saunders appeared in many significant roles. Her comedy appearances were celebrated at a

benefit performance A benefit performance is a type of live entertainment which is undertaken for a cause. In its original usage, benefit performances were opportunities for an actor to supplement his/her income. In its modern usage, benefit performances are given to ...

in 1747 at the Theatre Royal. Saunders did not appear as she had been unable to leave her house for a year and a half.

Selected roles

* Wishwell in ''

The Double Gallant ''The Double Gallant'' is a 1707 comedy play by the British writer Colley Cibber. It was originally performed on 1 November 1707 at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket with a cast that included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Solomon, Barton Booth as ...

'' by

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in a personal, anecdotal and even rambling ...

(1707) * Mrs Flimsy in ''

The Fine Lady's Airs ''The Fine Lady's Airs'' is a 1708 comedy play by the British writer Thomas Baker.Nicolls p.297 The original Drury Lane cast included John Mills as Sir Harry Sprightly, Robert Wilks as Brigadier Blenheim, Colley Cibber as Nicknack, Benjamin Jo ...

'' by Thomas Baker (1708) * Patch in ''

The Busie Body ''The Busie Body'' is a Restoration comedy written by Susanna Centlivre and first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre in 1709. It focuses on the legalities of what constitutes a marriage, and how children might subvert parental power over whom t ...

'' by

Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman and also known professionally as Susanna Carroll, was an English poet, actress, and "the most successful female playwright of the eighteenth century". Centlivre's " ...

(1709) * Dorothy in ''

The Man's Bewitched ''The Man's Bewitched'' is a 1709 comedy play by the British writer Susanna Centlivre. It is known by the longer title ''The Man's Bewitch'd; or, The Devil to do about Her''. The original Haymarket cast included John Bowman as Sir Jeffrey Const ...

'' by

(1709) * Buisy in '' The Apparition'' 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 ...

(1713) * Abigail in '' The Drummer'' by

Joseph Addison Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richard S ...

(1716) * Prudentia in ''

The Play is the Plot ''The Play is the Plot'' is a 1718 comedy play by the British writer John Durant Breval. Originally staged at the Drury Lane Theatre the cast featured Benjamin Johnson as Sir Barnaby Bindover, Thomas Walker as Captain Carbine, William Pinkethm ...

'' by

John Durant Breval John Durant Breval (c.1680 – January 1738) was an English poet, playwright, and miscellaneous writer. He started his literary career under the alias of ''Joseph Gay'' and later gained popularity as a travel writer while using his own name after ...

(1718)

References

1686 births People from Weymouth, Dorset Actresses from Dorset 1748 deaths 18th-century British actresses 18th-century English actresses {{UK-actor-stub