''The Athenian Captive'' is an 1838

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

by the British writer Thomas Talfourd. It was originally intended to be performed at

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 si ...

London London is the capital and 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 down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

but after rehearsals the illness of one of the actresses forced delays. This led him to take it instead to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket where it premiered on 4 August 1838. The Haymarket cast was led by

William Macready William Charles Macready (3 March 179327 April 1873) was an English actor. Life He was born in London the son of William Macready the elder, and actress Christina Ann Birch. Educated at Rugby School where he became headboy, and where now the ...

as Thoas and

Mary Warner Mary Amelia Warner (''née'' Huddart; 1804–1854), best known by her stage name Mrs Warner, was an English actress and theatre manager. Life Warner was born in Manchester in 1804 to Thomas Huddart, a chemist from Dublin, and his wife, Ann née ...

and Isme, and the production enjoyed success.Macqueen-Pope p.266 Other cast members included James Prescott Warde as Creon, Henry Howe as Lycus and

Helena Faucit Helena Saville Faucit, Lady Martin (11 October 1817 – 31 October 1898) was an English actress. Early life Born in London, she was the daughter of actors John Saville Faucit and Harriet Elizabeth Savill. Her parents separated when she was a gi ...

as Creusa. Talfourd dedicated the play to

Lord Denman Baron Denman, of Dovedale in the County of Derby, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1834 for the prominent lawyer, judge and Whig politician Thomas Denman. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench fro ...

, the Lord Chief Justice.

References

Bibliography

* Macqueen-Pope, Walter. ''Haymarket: Theatre of Perfection''. W.H. Allen, 1948. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of Early Nineteenth Century Drama 1800-1850''. Cambridge University Press, 1930. 1838 plays West End plays British plays Tragedy plays Historical plays Plays set in ancient Greece {{19thC-play-stub