Hannah Cowley was an English playwright and poet. Although Cowley's plays and poetry did not enjoy wide popularity after the 19th century, critic Melinda Finberg rates her as "one of the foremost playwrights of the late eighteenth century" whose "skill in writing fluid, sparkling dialogue and creating sprightly, memorable comic characters compares favourably with her better-known contemporaries, Goldsmith and Sheridan." Cowley's plays were produced frequently in her lifetime. The major themes of her plays – including her first, The Runaway (1776), and her major success, which is being revived, The Belle's Stratagem (1780) – revolve around marriage and how women strive to overcome the injustices imposed by family life and social custom.
The Runaway is a 1776 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. It premiered at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 15 February 1776. The original cast included Richard Yates as Mr Hargrave, William Smith as George Hargrave, Robert Bensley as Mr Drummond, William Brereton as Sir Charles Seymour, James Aickin as Mr Morley, William Parsons as Justice, John Palmer as Jarvis, Charles Bannister as First Hunter, Elizabeth Hopkins as Lady Dinah, Elizabeth Younge as Bella, Priscilla Hopkins as Harriet, Sarah Siddons as Emily and Mary Ann Wrighten as Susan. Cowley dedicated the play to David Garrick, the actor-manager of Drury Lane, who wrote the prologue. The action revolves around a country house in England.
The Note of Hand, or Trip to Newmarket is a 1774 comedy play by the British writer Richard Cumberland. A farce it was the final play performed by David Garrick at the Drury Lane Theatre in London before his retirement. The Irish premiere took place at the Capel Street Theatre in Dublin on 10 March 1774. The original London cast included John Palmer as Revell, Samuel Cautherley as Rivers, Thomas Jefferson as Elder Rivers, John Moody as O'Connor MacCormuck, William Palmer as Francis, James William Dodd as Sapling, James Wrighten as Putty and Susan Greville as Mrs Cheveley.
The Fate of Sparta is a 1788 tragedy by the British writer Hannah Cowley. It is also known by the longer title The Fate of Sparta, or, The Rival Kings.
More Ways Than One is a 1783 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley.
Which is the Man? is a 1782 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. The original Covent Garden cast included John Henderson as Fitzherbert, William Thomas Lewis as Beauchamp, Richard Wroughton as Belville, John Quick as Pendragon, Charles Lee Lewes as Lord Sparkle, Isabella Mattocks as Sophy Pendragon, Sarah Maria Wilson as Kitty, Mary Morton as Clarinda, Harriet Pitt as Tiffany, Elizabeth Satchell as Julia and Elizabeth Younge as Bloomer.
A Bold Stroke for a Husband is a 1783 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. The title is a variation on Susanna Centlivre's A Bold Stroke for a Wife. The original Covent Garden cast included William Thomas Lewis as Don Julio, Richard Wroughton as Don Carlos, John Quick as Don Caesar, John Edwin as Don Vincentio, Richard Wilson as Gasper, John Whitfield as Don Garcia, James Fearon as Vasquez, Mary Robinson as Victoria, Sarah Maria Wilson as Minette, Mary Whitfield as Laura, Harriet Pitt as Sancha and Isabella Mattocks as Olivia. The epilogue was written by John O'Keeffe. The play is in five acts and is set in Madrid.
A School for Greybeards is a 1786 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. The original cast included Thomas King as Don Alexis, John Philip Kemble as Don Henry, William Parsons as Don Gasper, John Bannister as Don Sebastian, John Palmer as Don Octavio, Mary Ann Wrighten as Rachel, Ann Maria Crouch as Donna Maria, Sarah Maria Wilson as Carlota, Margaret Cuyler as Donna Clara and Elizabeth Farren as Donna Seraphina.
The World as It Goes is a 1781 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley.
Howard Usher was an English stage actor of the eighteenth century. He had a lengthy career in London's West End beginning at Drury Lane during the 1739–1740 season. A member of the company, he played smaller, supporting roles in a large number of productions. He also acted at the London fairs during the summer and at Richmond in Surrey and the Jacobs Well Theatre in Bristol. In 1750 he moved to Covent Garden for four years, before returning to Drury Lane for a further four years in 1758. He then moved to Ireland where he spent a number of years at the Smock Alley Theatre and Crow Street Theatre in Dublin and also appeared at the Theatre Royal, Cork. By this time he was married to the actress Maria Usher who appeared with him in Dublin. In 1774 he was recruited by David Garrick to return to Drury Lane. In 1778 he joined the company at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket and remained part of it for the next twenty one years. His final appearance was a reprise of his original role Sir Walter Manny in George Colman the Younger's The Surrender of Calais on 10 September 1799.
Zorinski is a 1795 historical tragedy by the British writer Thomas Morton. It first appeared at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London with a cast that included William Barrymore as Zorinski, James Aickin as Casimir, King of Poland, Robert Bensley as Rodomsko, Charles Kemble as Radanzo, John Bannister as Zarno, John Henry Johnstone as O'Curragh, Richard Suett as Amalekite, John Fawcett as Witski, Thomas Caulfield as Naclo, Elizabeth Kemble as Rosolia and Maria Bland as Winifred. It included music composed by Samuel Arnold. The Irish premiere was at the Crow Street Theatre in Dublin on 28 November 1795. It is also known by the alternative title Casimir, King of Poland
The Rival Sisters is a 1793 tragedy by the Irish writer Arthur Murphy. His final play, it premiered at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London on 18 March 1793. It had been first written in 1783 and then published in 1786. It was staged by the company of the Drury Lane company under Richard Brinsley Sheridan who were at the Haymarket while their own theatre was rebuilt. The London cast included Sarah Siddons as Ariadne, Jane Powell as Phaedra, John Philip Kemble as Perithous, Richard Wroughton as Periander, King of Naxos, Robert Palmer as Theseus, John Hayman Packer as Archon and Thomas Caulfield as Aletes. It ran for around nine performances.
The Fatal Falsehood is a 1779 tragedy by the British writer Hannah More. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 7 May 1779. The original cast included Matthew Clarke as Earl Guilford, William Thomas Lewis as Rivers, his son, Richard Wroughton as Orlando, a young Italian Count, Francis Aickin as Bertrand, Elizabeth Younge as Emmelina and Elizabeth Hartley as Julia. The prologue was written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Who's the Dupe? is a 1779 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. A two-act farcical afterpiece, it premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 10 April 1779. The original cast included William Parsons as Doiley, James Aickin as Sandford, John Palmer as Granger, Thomas King as Gradus, Priscilla Brereton as Elizabeth and Mary Ann Wrighten as Charlotte. The Irish premiere was at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin on 8 February 1791. Cowley had enjoyed success with her debut play The Runaway and followed it with the tragedy Albina and this farce. It became one of her most popular works.
The Dupe is a 1763 comedy play by the Irish writer Frances Sheridan. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 10 December 1763. The original cast included Richard Yates as Sir John Woodall, William Havard as Friendly, John Hayman Packer as Wellford, Thomas King as Sharply and Hannah Pritchard as Mrs Etherdown, Kitty Clive as Mrs Friendly. It was one of only two new mainpieces debuting at Drury Lane that year along with a clutch of afterpieces. Sheridan, the mother of the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, was best known for her novel Memoirs of Miss Sidney Bidulph but had enjoyed success with the play The Discovery earlier in the year.
The Double Deception is a 1779 comedy play by the British writer Elizabeth Richardson. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 28 April 1779, and was her only play. The original cast included James William Dodd as Flippant, William Parsons as Welford, James Aickin as Fairgrove, Robert Baddeley as Rudely, Francis Godolphin Waldron as Robin, John Palmer as Sir Henry Varnish, Elizabeth Farren as Louisa Freemore, Elizabeth Hopkins as Lady Varnish, Priscilla Brereton as Sophia Welford, Jane Pope as Kitty.
A Day in Turkey is a 1791 comedy by the English author Hannah Cowley. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 3 December 1791. The original cast included Joseph George Holman as Ibrahim, William Farren as Orloff, John Fawcett as A La Greque, Joseph Shepherd Munden as Mustapha, William Cubitt as Azim, Charles Incledon as Selim, William Macready as Muley, Charles Farley as Ismael, James Thompson as Old Man, Jane Pope as Alexina, Harriet Pye Esten as Paulina, Isabella Mattocks as Lauretta and Margaret Martyr as Fatima. The Irish premiere took place at the Crow Street Theatre in Dublin on 16 May 1792
The Wedding Day is a comedy play by the English writer Elizabeth Inchbald. An afterpiece, it premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 1 November 1794. The original cast included William Barrymore as Lord Rakeland, Thomas King as Sir Adam Contest, John Hayman Packer as Mr Millden, Charles Kemble as Mr Contest, Charlotte Tidswell as Lady Autumn, Dorothea Jordan as Lady Contest, Elizabeth Hopkins as Mrs Hamford and Elizabeth Heard as Hannah. The Irish premiere took place at the Crow Street Theatre in Dublin on 15 February 1797.
The Will is a 1797 comedy play by the British writer Frederick Reynolds. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 19 April 1797. The original cast included Thomas King as Sir Solomon Cynic, Richard Wroughton as Mandeville, John Bannister as Howard, Robert Palmer as Veritas, Richard Suett as Realize, Samuel Thomas Russell as Robert, John Hayman Packer as Old Copsley, Dorothea Jordan as Albina Mandeville, Charlotte Tidswell as Deborah, Ursula Booth as Mrs Rigid and Harriet Mellon as Cicely Copsley. The Irish premiere took place at Dublin's Crow Street Theatre on 16 December 1799.
Vimonda is an 1787 tragedy by the Scottish writer Andrew Macdonald. After first appearing at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh in was then staged at London's Theatre Royal, Haymarket on 5 September 1787. The original Haymarket cast included Elizabeth Kemble as Vimonda, Stephen Kemble as Rothsay, John Bannister as Melville, Robert Bensley as Dundore, James Aickin as Barnard and Frances Barnet Woollery as Alfreda.
