Robert Wilks (''c.'' 1665 – 27 September 1732) was a British

actor 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 (), l ...

and

theatrical manager A theater manager, also called a general manager, managing director, or wikt:intendant, intendant (UK English and German), is the administrator of a theater. They often also have the responsibilities of an artistic director but in any case overse ...

who was one of the leading managers of

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 ...

in its heyday of the 1710s. He was, with

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 ...

and

Thomas Doggett Thomas Doggett (or Dogget) (20 September 1721) was an Irish actor. The birth date of 1640 seems unlikely. A more probable date of 1670 is given in the Encyclopædia Britannica. Biography Doggett was born in Dublin, and made his first stage app ...

, one of the "triumvirate" of actor-managers that was denounced by

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...

and caricatured by

William Hogarth William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, pictorial satirist, social critic, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from realistic portraiture to comic strip-lik ...

as leaders of the decline in theatrical standards and degradation of the stage's literary tradition. Hogarth-rehearsal (2)

The family was based for many generations in

Bromsgrove Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England, about northeast of Worcester and southwest of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 (39,644 in the wider Bromsgrove/Catshill urban area). Bromsgrove is the main town in th ...

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...

. His great-uncle,

Judge Wilks A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

, had served

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after ...

during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of Kingdom of England, England's governanc ...

, for whom he raised a troop at his own expense. After

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

won the civil war, Wilks' father moved to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

, where Robert Wilks was born. He was a clerk to Robert Southwell until he joined the

Williamite A Williamite was a follower of King William III of England (r. 1689–1702) who deposed King James II and VII in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs. One ...

army. As soon as he was discharged from the army, he worked in the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin from 1691 to 1693. According to Wilks's version of the story, he had first acted when his army company put on an amateur ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

'', and he was so successful that he took up acting as a career. In 1693, Christopher Rich, manager of Drury Lane, hired him to work in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. The same year, he married Elizabeth Knapton. In 1698, he was back in Dublin to perform in

George Etherege Sir George Etherege (c. 1636, Maidenhead, Berkshire – c. 10 May 1692, Paris) was an English dramatist. He wrote the plays '' The Comical Revenge or, Love in a Tub'' in 1664, '' She Would If She Could'' in 1668, and '' The Man of Mode or, ...

plays, and he was so popular that he, according to his story, had to escape to London, and the next year he began his collaboration of

George Farquhar George Farquhar (1677The explanation for the dual birth year appears in Louis A. Strauss, ed., A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux’ Stratagem by George Farquhar' (Boston: D.C. Heath & Co., 1914), p. v. Strauss notes ...

. Farquhar and Wilks were close friends, and the two traveled from Dublin to London together. In 1699, Wilks appeared in Farquhar's '' The Constant Couple'' as Harry Wildair. It was a role that became Wilks's signature, and it made him a heartthrob among the young ladies of London. For the rest of his life Harry Wildair would be Wilks's alter ego, and Wilks would appear in the starring roles in Farquhar plays. At Drury Lane, Christopher Rich ruled the theater with a Machiavellian hand. In 1702, Rich had to choose between Wilks and George Powell, the director of rehearsals. The power struggle went Wilks's way, and Powell left for

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is the List of city squares by size, 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 entreprene ...

while Wilks was promoted to director of rehearsals. This put Wilks in a powerful position within the theater, and when the actor's strike occurred in 1706, Wilks was well placed to win. Rich was accused of taking one third of all the actors' profits, and the leading actors walked out for the Queen's Theatre at the Haymarket (now Her Majesty's Theatre). Rich, and his son,

John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After d ...

, responded by staging

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

and

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...

. At the Haymarket, Wilks was a star. He took the major roles in ''

1 Henry IV ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depi ...

, Julius Caesar'', and '' The Way of the World''. He also debuted Farquhar's ''

The Beaux' Stratagem ''The Beaux' Stratagem'' is a comedy by George Farquhar, first produced at the Theatre Royal, now the site of Her Majesty's Theatre, in the Haymarket, London, on March 8, 1707. In the play, Archer and Aimwell, two young gentlemen who have falle ...

'' and Nicholas Rowe's '' The Royal Convert''. In 1709, Wilks, with Cibber, Thomas Doggett, and

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 Eli ...

joined Owen Swiny in managing the Haymarket. The next year, the group won their struggle and was brought back to Drury Lane, and in 1711 they became the actor-managers of Drury Lane. Thomas Doggett, according to Colley Cibber's somewhat unreliable memoir, forbade any woman being part of the group of managers, and Owen Swiny decided to return to the Haymarket, and so the remaining actor managers formed a "triumvirate." These three managers had profitable and difficult positions, and it is likely that from 1711 to 1714 the shares of the triumvirate never made less than the fantastic sum of £1,000 a year. In 1713, Barton Booth replaced Doggett as actor-manager, and in 1714

Richard Steele Sir Richard Steele (bap. 12 March 1672 – 1 September 1729) was an Anglo-Irish writer, playwright, and politician, remembered as co-founder, with his friend Joseph Addison, of the magazine ''The Spectator (1711), The Spectator''. Early life ...

joined them and got the theatre a royal patent. This patent allowed the company to present Charles Johnson's ''

The Country Lasses ''The Country Lasses: or, The Custom of the Manor'' is a 1715 comedy play by the British writer Charles Johnson. The original Drury Lane cast included Robert Wilks as Modely, Barton Booth as Heartwell, John Mills as Freehold, Benjamin Johnson ...

'' without a license in 1715, and from then on the patent itself was an extremely valuable commodity. Upon Steele's death in 1729, the three current members of the triumvirate got a one-third share in the patent. The managers were very busy with the details of production, but they were as busy as actors. Wilks acted one hundred and forty performances in the 1721–2 season, for example, and Wilks rarely toured out of London (with the exception of a single trip to Dublin in 1711). Wilks was one of the mainstays of Drury Lane, both as a manager and, even more, as an attractive male lead. Colley Cibber, whose autobiography portrays himself as a voice of reason and calm, paints Wilks as a vain and tempestuous personality, and it is possible to believe Cibber's complaints about others without believing his praise of himself. Alexander Pope satirized Wilks, along with Cibber and Doggett, in ''

The Dunciad ''The Dunciad'' is a landmark, mock-heroic, narrative poem by Alexander Pope published in three different versions at different times from 1728 to 1743. The poem celebrates a goddess Dulness and the progress of her chosen agents as they bring ...

'', both versions. William Hogarth depicted Wilks as a man busy making a pantomime play of a jail break while using scripts for ''Hamlet'' as toilet paper. The actor managers responded to the increasing move for "spectacle" plays (see Augustan drama for context) and quick productions with low costs, and thus the triumvirate, in particular, was frequently satirized for cheapening the stage. He died in 1732 in London and was buried in St. Paul's Church,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

. He had made an exceptional amount of money in his life, but, upon his death, he left his second wife virtually nothing except a share in the Drury Lane patent. Although married at the time, in the 1690s he had relationship with the actress Jane Rogers which led to the birth of a daughter of the same name Jane Rogers, who appeared as an actress at Linclon's Inn Field and

during the eighteenth century.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.109

Selected roles

* Sir Harry Wildair in '' The Constant Couple'' by

(1699) * Carlos in ''

Love Makes a Man ''Love Makes A Man; Or, The Fop's Fortune is a 1700 comedy play by the English writer Colley Cibber. It borrows elements from two Jacobean plays ''The Elder Brother'' and '' The Custom of the Country'' by John Fletcher. It was originally stage ...

'' by

(1700) * Duke of Lorraine in ''

The Unhappy Penitent ''The Unhappy Penitent'' is a 1701 tragedy by the English writer Catherine Trotter.Nicoll p.361 It is set at the French court of the late fifteenth century where Charles VIII plans to break his marriage agreement with Margaret of Austria so t ...

'' by Catharine Trotter (1701) * Almerick in '' The Generous Conqueror'' by Bevil Higgons (1701) * Paris in '' The Virgin Prophetess'' by Elkanah Settle (1701) * Sir Harry Wildair in '' Sir Harry Wildair'' by

(1701) * Lionel in '' The Modish Husband'' by

William Burnaby Sir William Burnaby, 1st Baronet (c. 17101776) was a British naval officer who became Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station. Naval career Burnaby was the son of John Burnaby of Kensington. He entered the navy and was promoted to lieutenant in 173 ...

(1702) * Don Pedro in '' The False Friend'' by

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restor ...

(1702) * Woodvil in ''

All for the Better ''All for the Better'' is a 1702 comedy play by the English writer Francis Manning. The original Drury Lane cast included Thomas Simpson as Mendez, Robert Wilks as Woodvil, John Mills as Johnson, Charles Fairbank as Young Mendez, John Bickerst ...

'' by Francis Manning (1702) * Woudbee in '' The Twin Rivals'' by

(1702) * Reynard in '' Tunbridge Walks'' by Thomas Baker (1703) * Bellmie in '' Love's Contrivance'' by Susanna Centlivre (1703) * Frederick in ''

The Old Mode and the New ''The Old Mode and the New'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer Thomas d'Urfey. The original Drury Lane cast included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Fumbler Oldmode, Robert Wilks as Frederick, John Mills as William Queenlove, William Bowen as ...

'' by Thomas d'Urfey (1703) * Wilding in ''

Vice Reclaimed ''Vice Reclaimed'' is a 1703 comedy play by Richard Wilkinson. It is also known by the longer title ''Vice Reclaim'd: Or, the Passionate Mistress''. It premiered at the Drury Lane Theatre included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Feeble Goodwill, Robe ...

'' by Richard Wilkinson (1703) * Young Bookwit in ''

The Lying Lover ''The Lying Lover; Or, The Lady's Friendship'' is a 1703 comedy play by the Irish writer Richard Steele. It was his second play, written while he was an army office doing garrison duty in Harwich during the War of the Spanish Succession. It is de ...

'' by

(1703) * Abinomin in ''

The Faithful Bride of Granada ''The Faithful Bride of Granada'' is a 1704 tragedy by the English writer William Taverner. It was the only tragedy by Tarverner, better known for his comedies.Nicoll p.79 The original cast included John Mills as Abdolin, Robert Wilks as Abino ...

'' by William Taverner (1704) * Sir Charles Easy in '' The Careless Husband'' by

(1704) * Bloom in ''

Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band ...

'' by Thomas Baker (1705) * Captain Plume in ''

The Recruiting Officer ''The Recruiting Officer'' is a 1706 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar, which follows the social and sexual exploits of two British Army#Ranks and insignia, officers, the womanising Plume and the cowardly Brazen, in the town of Shrewsbu ...

'' by

(1706) * Captain Beaumont in '' The Platonick Lady'' by Susanna Centlivre (1706) * Archer in ''

'' by

(1707) * Careless in '' The Double Gallant'' by

(1707) * Aribert in '' The Royal Convert'' by Nicholas Rowe (1707) * Brigadier Blenheim 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, Benjami ...

'' by Thomas Baker (1708) * Artaban in '' The Persian Princess'' by Lewis Theobald (1708) * Ziphares in '' Mithridates, King of Pontus'' by

Nathaniel Lee Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth; Dr Lee was chaplain to George Monck, afterw ...

(1708) * Sir George Airy in '' The Busie Body'' by Susanna Centlivre (1709) * Icilius in '' Appius and Virginia'' by John Dennis (1709) * Young Outwit in '' The Rival Fools'' by

(1709) * Volatil in '' The Wife's Relief'' by Charles Johnson (1711) * Aranes in '' The Successful Pyrate'' by Charles Johnson (1712) * Juba in '' Cato'' 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 ...

(1713) * Chaucer in ''

The Wife of Bath "The Wife of Bath's Tale" ( enm, The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe) is among the best-known of Geoffrey Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales''. It provides insight into the role of women in the Late Middle Ages and was probably of interest to Chaucer himsel ...

'' by

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for '' The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly ...

(1713) * Dumont in '' Jane Shore'' by Nicholas Rowe (1714) * Agamemnon in '' The Victim'' by Charles Johnson (1714) * Modely in ''

'' by Charles Johnson (1715) * Sir George Trueman in '' The Drummer'' by

(1716) * Agonistus in '' The Cruel Gift'' by Susanna Centlivre (1716) * Hearty in ''

The Non-Juror ''The Non-Juror'' is a 1717 comedy play by the British writer Colley Cibber. It is inspired by Molière's 1664 work ''Tartuffe''. The original Drury Lane Theatre cast featured John Mills as Sir John Woodvil, Barton Booth as Colonel Woodvil, Robe ...

'' by

(1717) * Memnon in ''

Busiris, King of Egypt ''Busiris, King of Egypt'' is a 1719 tragedy by the British writer Edward Young. It is set in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Busiris. It was considered a success, enjoying a good run and was subsequently published by Jacob Tonson. The work ...

'' by Edward Young (1719) * Eurytion in ''

The Spartan Dame ''The Spartan Dame'' is a 1719 tragedy by the Irish writer Thomas Southerne. It was inspired by a story from Plutarch's ''Life of Aegis'' and was originally written as early 1687, but faced a long period of censorship and revision. The Drury Lane ...

'' by

Thomas Southerne Thomas Southerne (12 February 166026 May 1746) was an Irish dramatist. Biography Thomas Southerne, born on 12 February 1660, in Oxmantown, near Dublin, was an Irish dramatist. He was the son of Francis Southerne (a Dublin brewer) and Margaret ...

(1719) * Sir George Jealous in ''

The Masquerade Masquerade or Masquerader may refer to: Events * Masquerade ball, a costumed dance event * Masquerade ceremony, a rite or cultural event in many parts of the world, especially the Caribbean and Africa * Masqueraders, the performers in the West ...

'' by Charles Johnson (1719) * Eumanes in '' The Siege of Damascus'' by John Hughes (1720) * Frankly in ''

The Refusal "The Refusal" (German: "Die Abweisung"), also known as "Unser Städtchen liegt …", is a short story by Franz Kafka. Written in the autumn of 1920, it was not published in Kafka's lifetime. Overview The story of "Die Abweisung" involves the narr ...

'' by

(1721) * Don Carlos in '' The Revenge'' by Edward Young (1721) * Sir John Freeman in '' The Artifice'' by Susanna Centlivre (1722) * Ivor in ''

The Briton ''The Briton'' is a 1722 tragedy by the British writer Ambrose Philips. The play is set in pre-Roman Celtic Britain. Performed at Drury Lane the original cast included Barton Booth as Vanoc, Robert Wilks as Ivor, John Thurmond as Didius, John ...

'' by

Ambrose Philips Ambrose Philips (167418 June 1749) was an English poet and politician. He feuded with other poets of his time, resulting in Henry Carey bestowing the nickname " Namby-Pamby" upon him, which came to mean affected, weak, and maudlin speech or ver ...

(1722) * Mrytle in '' The Conscious Lovers'' by

(1722) * Orlando in '' Love in a Forest'' by Charles Johnson (1723) * Antony in '' Caesar in Egypt'' by

(1724) * Phraortes, King of Media in '' The Captives'' by

(1724) * Henriquez in ''

Double Falsehood ''Double Falsehood'' (archaic spelling: ''Double Falshood'') or ''The Distrest Lovers'' is a 1727 play by the English writer and playwright Lewis Theobald, although the authorship has been contested ever since the play was first published, with ...

'' by Lewis Theobald (1727) * Ballamine in ''

The Rival Modes ''The Rival Modes'' is a 1727 comedy play by the British writer James Moore Smythe.Nicoll p.19 The original Drury Lane cast included Colley Cibber as the Earl of Late Airs, Theophilus Cibber as Lord Toupet, John Harper (actor), John Harper as Sir ...

'' by

James Moore Smythe James Moore Smythe (; 1702 – 18 October 1734) was an English playwright and fop. Biography Smythe was appointed by the King to the Office of, Co- Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. He was born James Moore. He was the so ...

(1727) * Merital in ''

Love in Several Masques ''Love in Several Masques'' is a play by Henry Fielding that was first performed on 16 February 1728 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The moderately received play comically depicts three lovers trying to pursue their individual beloveds. The b ...

'' by

Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English novelist, irony writer, and dramatist known for earthy humour and satire. His comic novel ''Tom Jones'' is still widely appreciated. He and Samuel Richardson are seen as founders ...

(1728) * Lord Townly in ''

The Provoked Husband ''The Provoked Husband'' is a 1728 comedy play by the British writer and actor Colley Cibber, based on a fragment of play written by John Vanbrugh. It is also known by the longer title ''The Provok'd Husband: or, a Journey to London''. Vanbrug ...

'' by

(1728) * Jason in ''

Medea In Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the ...

'' by Charles Johnson (1730) * Gainlove in ''

The Humours of Oxford ''The Humours of Oxford'' is a 1730 comedy play by the British writer James Miller. It was Miller's debut play, inspired by his time at Wadham College, and proved popular. The plot is set around Oxford University and portrays the academics as ov ...

'' by James Miller (1730) * Masinissa in '' Sophonisba'' by James Thomson (1730) * Bellamant in '' The Modern Husband'' by

(1732) * Lord Modely in ''

The Modish Couple ''The Modish Couple'' is a 1732 comedy play by the British writer James Miller, under the pen name Charles Boaden. A virtuous wife reforms her rakish husband.Gollapudi p.77 The original Drury Lane cast included Robert Wilks as Lord Modely, Jo ...

'' by James Miller (1732)

References

* Murfin, Miriam G. "Robert Wilks". In Matthew, H.C.G. and Brian Harrison, eds. ''

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

.'' vol. 59. 4–5. London: OUP, 2004. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilks, Robert 1660s births 1732 deaths English male stage actors Clerks People from Bromsgrove Actor-managers 17th-century English male actors 18th-century English male actors