''The Brothers'' is a tragedy by the British writer

Edward Young Edward Young (c. 3 July 1683 – 5 April 1765) was an English poet, best remembered for ''Night-Thoughts'', a series of philosophical writings in blank verse, reflecting his state of mind following several bereavements. It was one of the mos ...

. Written in 1728, the play was about to be staged and was in rehearsals when Young was appointed

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

George II George II or 2 may refer to: People * George II of Antioch (seventh century AD) * George II of Armenia (late ninth century) * George II of Abkhazia (916–960) * Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051) * George II of Georgia (1072–1089) * ...

and withdrew it in case his playwrighting might offend the King.Kahan p.28 It wasn't performed until 1753 when

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of Sa ...

produced it at the

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 ...

. The cast included Garrick as Demetrius,

Henry Mossop Henry Mossop (1729 – 18 November 1773) was an Irish actor. Life He was born in Dunmore, County Galway, where his father was a clergyman. He made his first stage appearance as Zanga in Young's tragedy ''The Revenge'' at the Smock Alley Theatr ...

as Perseus,

Edward Berry Rear Admiral Sir Edward Berry, 1st Baronet, KCB (17 April 1768 – 13 February 1831) was an officer in Britain's Royal Navy primarily known for his role as flag captain of Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson's ship HMS ''Vanguard'' at the Battle of ...

as Philip,

Richard Winstone Richard Winstone (1699-1787) was a British stage actor of the eighteenth century. In 1732 Winstone joined Henry Giffard's Goodman's Fields Theatre. After this he worked at several London theatres including Lincoln's Inn Fields, Haymarket Theate ...

as Posthumius,

George Anne Bellamy George Anne Bellamy (''née'' O'Hara; 23 April 173116 February 1788) was an Irish actress. She took leading roles at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Her success was rapid, participating in the rivalry for popular favor in ''Romeo and Juliet'' in 1750 ...

as Erixine, Jane Green as the Attendant and

Thomas Mozeen Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

as Curtius. The epilogue was by

Kitty Clive Catherine Clive (née Raftor; 5 November 1711 – 6 December 1785) Catherine ‘Kitty’ Clive (1711-1785, active 1728-1769) was a first songster and star comedienne of British playhouse entertainment. Clive led and created new forms of English ...

References

Bibliography

* Kahan, Jeffrey. ''Shakespeare Imitations, Parodies and Forgeries, 1710-1820, Volume 1''. Taylor & Francis, 2004. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''History of English Drama, 1660-1900, Volume 2''. Cambridge University Press, 2009. 1728 plays British plays West End plays Tragedy plays Plays set in ancient Greece {{18thC-play-stub