William Allen (died 1647) was a prominent English actor in the

Caroline era The Caroline era is the period in English and Scottish history named for the 24-year reign of Charles I (1625–1649). The term is derived from ''Carolus'', the Latin for Charles. The Caroline era followed the Jacobean era, the reign of Charles's ...

. He belonged to both of the most important

theatre companies Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

of his generation,

Queen Henrietta's Men Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era in London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men. Beginnings The company ...

and the King's Men. Allen was a member of the Queen Henrietta's company through the main phase of its existence, from 1625 to 1636. Six cast lists for five plays survive for the company; Allen is one of only two men (the other being

Michael Bowyer Michael Bowyer (1599–1645) was an actor in English Renaissance theatre in the Jacobean era, Jacobean and Caroline era, Caroline eras. He spent most of his maturity with Queen Henrietta's Men, but finished his career with the King's Men (playing ...

) who is included in all six lists. Allen played major roles: * Captain Landby in Shirley's '' The Wedding'' * Pandolph in Davenport's ''

King John and Matilda ''King John and Matilda'' is a Caroline era stage play, a historical tragedy written by Robert Davenport. It was initially published in 1655; the cast list included in the first edition provides valuable information on some of the actors of En ...

'' * Grimaldi the Renegado in Massinger's ''

The Renegado ''The Renegado, or The Gentleman of Venice'' is a late Literature in English#Jacobean literature, Jacobean stage play, a tragicomedy written by Philip Massinger and first published in 1630 in literature, 1630. The play has attracted critical atte ...

'' * Hannibal in Nabbes's ''

Hannibal and Scipio ''Hannibal and Scipio'' is a Caroline era stage play, a classical tragedy written by Thomas Nabbes. The play was first performed in 1635 by Queen Henrietta's Men, and was first published in 1637. The first edition of the play contained a cast l ...

'' * Mullisheg in Heywood's ''

The Fair Maid of the West ''The Fair Maid of the West, or a Girl Worth Gold, Parts 1 and 2'' is a work of English Renaissance drama, a two-part play written by Thomas Heywood that was first published in 1631. Date The dates of authorship of the two parts of ''The Fai ...

'' (both parts). The Queen Henrietta's company was disrupted and fractured by the long theatre closure from May 1636 to October 1637, due to a severe outbreak of

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

. Allen was one of several members of the troupe who disappear from the surviving records in the later 1630s; he may have been among a quartet of Queen's actors who travelled to

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

with James Shirley to work at the

Werburgh Street Theatre The Werburgh Street Theatre, also the Saint Werbrugh Street Theatre or the New Theatre, was a seventeenth-century theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Scholars and historians of the subject generally identify it as the "first custom-built theatre in the c ...

there. Allen was certainly in London c. 1640, when he was one of the five former Queen's players who became actors and sharers in the King's Men around that time. Allen and the others were named

Grooms of the Chamber A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

in January 1641. After the theatres were closed in September 1642at the start of 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 England's governance and issues of re ...

, Allen, like several other members of the company ( Charles Hart,

Nicholas Burt Nicholas Burt (1621 ? — after 1689), or Birt or Burght among other variants, was a prominent English actor of the seventeenth century. In a long career, he was perhaps best known as the first actor to play the role of Othello in the Restora ...

, and William Robbins), became an officer in the Royalist army. Allen served as a "major and quartermaster-general at Oxford."Nunzeger, p. 3. He was one of the ten King's Men who signed the dedication of the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio in

1647 Events January–March * January 2 – Chinese bandit leader Zhang Xianzhong, who has ruled the Sichuan province since 1644, is killed at Xichong by a Qing archer after having been betrayed one of his officers, Liu Jinzhong. ...

, the year of his death.

References

English male stage actors 17th-century English male actors 1647 deaths Year of birth unknown King's Men (playing company) {{england-actor-stub