''The Rose of Arragon'' is an 1842

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 Irish-born writer

James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. Biography Knowles was born in Cork. His father was the lexicographer James Knowles (1759–1840), cousin of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The family mov ...

. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in

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 ...

on 4 June 1842. The cast included

Ellen Kean Ellen Kean (12 December 1805 – 20 August 1880) was an English actress. She was known as Ellen Tree until her marriage in 1842, after which she was known both privately and professionally as Mrs Charles Kean and always appeared in productions ...

as Olivia, Charles Kean as Alasco, Henry Howe as the King of Arragon,

Samuel Phelps Samuel Phelps (born 13 February 1804, Plymouth Dock (now Devonport), Plymouth, Devon, died 6 November 1878, Anson's Farm, Coopersale, near Epping, Essex) was an English actor and theatre manager. He is known for his productions of William Sha ...

as Almargo and Frederick Vining as Velasquez. It was similar in style to Knowles' earlier work '' The Wife of Mantua''.The Encyclopedia of Romantic Literature p.733 In 1849

William Creswick William Creswick (27 December 1813 – 17 June 1888) was an English actor. A popular tragedian on the London stage, he appeared with many leading actors of his day, including William Charles Macready, Edwin Booth and Fanny Kemble and was ...

opened his actor-management of the

Surrey Theatre The Surrey Theatre, London began life in 1782 as the Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy, one of the many circuses that provided entertainment of both horsemanship and drama (hippodrama). It stood in Blackfriars Road, near the jun ...

by playing Alasco in a revival.

References

Bibliography

* Burwick, Frederick Goslee, Nancy Moore & Hoeveler Diane Long . ''The Encyclopedia of Romantic Literature''. John Wiley & Sons, 2012. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of Early Nineteenth Century Drama 1800-1850''. Cambridge University Press, 1930. 1842 plays West End plays British plays Plays by James Sheridan Knowles Plays set in Spain {{19thC-play-stub