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Elizabeth Barry was an English actress of the Restoration period.
John Rich (1692–1761) was an important director and theatre manager in 18th-century London. He opened The New Theatre at Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1714, which he managed until he built the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in 1732. He managed Covent Garden until 1761, putting on ever more lavish productions. He popularised pantomime on the English stage and played a dancing and mute Harlequin himself from 1717 to 1760 under the stage name of "Lun." Rich's version of the servant character, Arlecchino, moved away from the poor, dishevelled, loud, and crude character, to a colourfully-dressed, silent Harlequin, performing fanciful tricks, dances and magic. Rich's decision to be a silent character was influenced by his unappealing voice, of which he was well aware, and the British idea of the Harlequin character was heavily inspired by Rich's performances.
Lisle's Tennis Court was a building off Portugal Street in Lincoln's Inn Fields in London. Originally built as a real tennis court, it was used as a playhouse during two periods, 1661–1674 and 1695–1705. During the early period, the theatre was called Lincoln's Inn Fields Playhouse, also known as The Duke's Playhouse, The New Theatre or The Opera. The building was rebuilt in 1714, and used again as a theatre for a third period, 1714–1732. The tennis court theatre was the first public playhouse in London to feature the moveable scenery that would become a standard feature of Restoration theatres.
John Bowman (1651–1739) was a British stage actor. He began his career in the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre. In 1692, he married Elizabeth Watson, who acted under the name Elizabeth Bowman. He later switched to act at the Drury Lane Theatre. He is also referred to as John Boman.
William Bowen (1666–1718) was a British stage actor. He was part of the United Company from 1689. For a time, he became known for his comic roles. He was fatally wounded in a duel with fellow actor James Quin in 1718.
Roger Bridgewater was a British stage actor of the eighteenth century. He worked as party of the Drury Lane company for many years, specialising in dramatic roles, before switching to Covent Garden in 1734. In later years he frequently played Falstaff.
Jane Cibber was a British stage actress.
Anthony Boheme was a British stage actor of the eighteenth century.
James Lacy (1696-1774) was a British stage actor and theatre manager.
Jane Egleton was a British stage actress of the eighteenth century associated with John Rich's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre.
William Mills (1701–1750) was a British stage actor.
William Milward (1702-1742) was a British stage actor.
Thomas Chapman (1683-1747) was a British stage actor.
The Compromise is a 1722 comedy play by the British writer John Sturmy.
Joseph Williams was an English stage actor of the seventeenth and early eighteenth century.
Elizabeth Willis (c.1669-1739) was a British stage actress.
Elinor Leigh was a British stage actor of the seventeenth century.
Elizabeth Hopkins (1731–1801) was an English stage actress of the eighteenth century. Born as Elizabeth Barton to a publican in York, she married the actor William Hopkins in 1753. and he introduced her to the stage. They acted together in the provinces and then in Edinburgh where she was original Anna in John Home's Douglas in 1756. She then went to Dublin to perform at the Smock Alley Theatre and elsewhere, although she was at one point dismissed by the company by Thomas Sheridan. When her husband was appointed as prompter at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London she joined the company there, making her first appearance there in 1761. For several decades she was an integral part of the Drury Lane company, occasionally appearing elsewhere in the summer including at Richmond and the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. She transitioned in the 1780s from the younger, tragic roles she had played to older character parts such as dowagers Her final appearance was at the Haymarket in 1796. The actress Priscilla Kemble, wife of John Philip Kemble, was her daughter.
Thomas Robson (1737–1813) was a British stage actor and singer. Born as Thomas Robson Brownhill in Hull in 1737, he began his career in provincial theatre appearing in Norwich in the late 1760s. In 1769 he was at the Richmond Theatre and the following year made his London debut at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket then under the management of Samuel Foote. He originated roles of several of Foote's new farces, and also appeared the Orchard Street Theatre in Bath and the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin over the next few years. In 1776 he joined the company of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden and remained there until 1782, appearing in over a hundred roles. His last known roles in London were at the Haymarket in 1784.
William Farren (1754–1795) was an English stage actor of the eighteenth century. He was born in London to a chandler from Clerkenwell. He made his debut at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London in 1775, likely due to the influence of the actor Richard Yates and remained there until 1784 when he transferred to the rival Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. A notable early role at Drury Lane was the original Careless in Sheridan's The School for Scandal. He remained at Covent Garden until his death in 1795, making occasional summer appearances at the Haymarket. He played a mixture of supporting roles and occasional leads, and developed a reputation as a versatile actor who could appear in comedy and tragedy. He died of pneumonia and was buried at St Paul's Church in Covent Garden. His son William Farren also became an actor, and the father is sometimes known as William Farren the Elder to distinguish him.
