Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the main setting is Denmark.
William Abbot or Abbott was an English actor, and a theatrical manager, both in England and the United States.
William Charles Macready was an English stage actor. The son of Irish actor-manager William Macready the Elder he emerged as a leading West End performer during the Regency era.
Charles Kemble was a Welsh actor of a prominent theatre family.
James Sheridan Knowles was an Irish dramatist and actor. A relative of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Knowles enjoyed success writing plays for the leading West End theatres. Later in his career he also produced several novels.
Helena Saville Faucit, Lady Martin was an English actress.
Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, commonly referred to as G. V. Brooke, was an Irish stage actor who enjoyed success in Ireland, England, and Australia.
Kathleen Mary Fitzwilliam (1826–1894) was an English actress and singer appearing regularly on the London stage in the mid 19th century.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare has been performed many times since the beginning of the 17th century.
George John Bennett (1800–1879) was for nearly 40 years a Shakespearian actor on the London stage, notably Covent Garden and Drury Lane.
William Creswick 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 well known for his Shakespearean and melodrama roles in Britain, the U.S. and Australia.
Daniel Egerton (1772–1835) was an English actor.
Daniel Terry (1780?–1829) was an English actor and playwright, known also as a close associate of Sir Walter Scott.
William Tell is an 1825 historical play by the Irish writer James Sheridan Knowles. It portrays the legendary 14th-century Swiss folk hero William Tell in his battle against the Habsburg authorities.
James Prescott Warde (1792–1840) was an English actor. He came up as a provincial tragic actor, in the Garrick mould. The Dictionary of National Biography says he was "full of promise at the time of his first appearance in London", in 1818, but did not reach the top ranks of the profession.
Fredolfo is an 1819 historical tragedy by the Irish writer Charles Maturin. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 12 May 1819. The original cast included William Macready as Wallenberg, Charles Mayne Young as Fredolfo, Charles Kemble as Aldemar, Frederick Henry Yates as Berthold, Charles Connor as Waldo and Elizabeth O'Neill as Urilda. Maturin dedicated the published version to the Duke of Leinster, which was published by Archibald Constable. The work was considered a failure which failed to recaptured the success of his earlier Bertram and Maturin turned back to writing novels.
Foscari is an 1826 historical tragedy by the British writer Mary Russell Mitford. The plot revolves around Francesco Foscari, the son of the Doge of Venice, who is wrongly accused of murder and has to go into exile. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 4 November 1826. The original cast included Charles Mayne Young as Foscari, Doge of Venice, Charles Kemble as Francesco Foscari, James Prescott Warde as Count Erizzo, and Daniel Egerton as Donato.
Evadne is an 1819 historical tragedy by the Irish writer Richard Lalor Sheil. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 10 February 1819. The original cast included Elizabeth O'Neill as Evadne,William Macready as Ludovico, William Abbot as the King of Naples, Charles Mayne Young as Colonna, Charles Kemble as Vicentio, Charles Connor as Spalatro and Harriet Faucit as Olivia. Sheil dedicated the published play to his fellow Irish writer Thomas Moore.
The Apostate is an 1817 tragedy by the Irish writer Richard Lalor Sheil. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 3 May 1817. The original cast included William Macready as Pescara, Charles Kemble as Hemeya, Charles Mayne Young as Malec, Thomas Comer as Hamy, Charles Murray as Alvarez, Daniel Egerton as Gomez and Elizabeth O'Neill as Florinda. The prologue was spoken by Charles Connor. It was loosely inspired by a 17th century work by the Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca. The play was a success, but reviewers generally attributed this to O'Neill's acting rather than Sheil's writing.
Bellamira is an 1818 historical tragedy by the Irish writer Richard Lalor Sheil. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 22 April 1818. The original cast included Elizabeth O'Neill as Bellamira, William Macready as Amurath, Charles Kemble as Manfredi, Charles Mayne Young as Montalto, Daniel Terry as Salerno, Charles Connor as Kaled, and Thomas Comer as Gonzaga. Sheil dedicated the play to the Whig politician Lord Holland.
