William Charles Macready was an English stage actor.
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.
Strafford is an 1837 tragedy by the British writer Robert Browning. It portrays the downfall and execution of Lord Strafford, the advisor to Charles I shortly before the English Civil War.
Thomas James Serle (1798–1889) was an English dramatist and actor. He was also a journalist with the Weekly Dispatch.
Caius Gracchus is a tragedy by the Irish playwright James Sheridan Knowles. It is based on the life of Gaius Gracchus, a politician in Ancient Rome. The play premiered at the Belfast Theatre in 1815 and enjoyed a good reception. It debuted in London's West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 18 November 1823, following the success of the author's Virginius. The London cast included William Macready as Caius Gracchus, William Penley as Licinius, Alexander Pope as Drusus, Daniel Terry as Titus, Charles Mayne Young as Vettius, George Yarnold as Fulvius Flaccus, Thomas Archer as Opimius, Mrs. West as Licinia and Margaret Bunn as Cornelia.
Woman's Wit; or, Loves Disguises is an 1838 comedy play by the Irish writer James Sheridan Knowles. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on the 23 June 1838 with a cast that included James Warde as Lord Athunree, George Bartley as Sir William Sutton, William Macready as Walsingham, John Langford Pritchard as Felton, John Pritt Harley as Clever and Helena Faucit as Hero. Knowles dedicated the play to the writer Samuel Rogers.
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.
The Conquest of Taranto is an 1817 musical drama written by William Dimond with music composed by Michael Kelly. It appeared at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 15 April 1817. The original cast featured Junius Brutus Booth as Rinaldo, William Macready as Valencia, Charles Mayne Young as Aben Hamet, Daniel Egerton as Gonzales, Sarah Booth as Oriana and Kitty Stephens as Rosalind. Macready was reportedly dissatisfied with his role, coveting that of Rinaldo, and unsuccessfully offered thirty pounds the Covent Garden manager Thomas Harris to release him during rehearsals. The first Dublin performance was at the Crow Street Theatre on 5 August 1817. It also appeared at the Federal Street Theatre in Boston and other American venues.
Gisippus is an 1842 tragedy by the Irish writer Gerald Griffin. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 23 February 1842. It was staged posthumously as Griffin had died from typhus in 1840, and was likely written before 1838. The original cast included William Macready as Gisippus, James Robertson Anderson as Titus Quintus Fulvius, Edward Elton as Pheax, George Bennett as Lycias, Charles Selby as Macro and Helena Faucit as Sophronia. Its opening resembles William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, but with the setting switched from Rome to Athens. The play was a popular success. It went on to appear in New York at the Park Theatre in 1847 and Broadway Theatre in 1848.
Julian is an 1823 historical tragedy by the British writer Mary Russell Mitford. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 15 March 1823. The original cast included William Macready as Julian, Maria Foote as Alphonso, King of Sicily, George John Bennett as Duke of Melfi, William Abbot as Count D'Alba, Daniel Egerton as Leanti, William Chapman as Calvi, Thomas Comer as Bertone and Maria Lacy as Annabel. Mitford wrote the play during the delays over the staging of her previous work Foscari which finally premiered in 1826. It is influenced by the 1820 rebellion on Sicily and its defeat and repression by Bourbon forces.
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.
Charles the First is a historical tragedy by the British writer Mary Russell Mitford. It depicts the imprisonment and trial of Charles I before his execution in 1649 following his defeat in the English Civil Wars. It was first written in 1825 and originally intended to be performed at Covent Garden. Mitford wrote the play with the encouragement of William Macready and Charles Kemble, the two leading performers at Covent Garden. However, the politically controversial top of regicide led to it being refused a licence by the Lord Chamberlain, the Duke of Montrose.
The House of Colberg is an 1832 tragedy by the British writer Thomas James Serle. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 1 October 1832. The original cast included William Macready as Colberg, John Cooper as Prince of Eisbach, Thomas Cooke as the Chaplain, and Robert William Honner as Steinfeldt. The play was dedicated to the writer Thomas Talfourd.
The Duchess de la Vallière is an 1837 historical play by the British writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It is based on the life of Louise de La Vallière, a French aristocrat and mistress of Louis XIV in the seventeenth century. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 4 January 1837. The original cast included Helena Faucit as Louise de la Vallière, William Macready as the Marquis Alphonso de Bragelone, John Vandenhoff as Louis XIV, William Farren as the Duke of Lauzun, John Langford Pritchard as the Count de Grammont, William Harries Tilbury as Bertrand and Sarah West as Madame la Vallière.
The Patrician's Daughter is an 1842 tragedy by the British writer John Westland Marston. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 10 December 1842. The original cast included William Macready as Mordaunt, Samuel Phelps as the Earl of Lynterne, Edward William Elton as Heartwell, George John Bennett as Lister, Charles Selby as Lord Chatterly, Morris Barnett as Sir Archer Taunton, John Ryder as Physician, George Yarnold as Solicitor, Mary Warner as Lady Lydia Lynterne and Helena Faucit as Lady Mabel Lynterne.
Damon and Pythias is an 1821 tragedy by the Irish writers John Banim and Richard Lalor Sheil. It is based on the Greek legend of Damon and Pythias. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 28 May 1821. The original cast included William Macready as Damon, Charles Kemble as Pythias, William Abbot as Dionysius, Daniel Egerton as Damocles, William Chapman as Nicias, Thomas Comer as Procles, Charles Connor as Lucullus and Maria Foote as Hermion. It was widely performed in Ireland and the United States including at the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.
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.
Wallace is an 1820 historical tragedy by the British writer Charles Edward Walker. It portrays the Scottish leader William Wallace and the events surrounding his capture and execution, due to the betrayal of John de Menteith. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 14 November 1820. It starred William Macready as Wallace, Charles Kemble as Douglas, Daniel Egerton as Comyn, William Abbot as Montieth, Thomas Comer as Kierly, William Chapman as Clare, Earl of Gloster, Charles Connor as Lord de Clifford and Margaret Agnes Bunn as Helen. It was performed sixteen times. The critic John Waldie, who saw the play in Newcastle four months after its London premiere, comparied it to Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1799 hit Pizarro.
Mary Stuart is an 1840 historical tragedy by the Irish writer James Haynes. It is based on the assassination of David Rizzio, a courtier to Mary, Queen of Scots. The play was staged as part of an ambitious plan to relaunch the reputation of London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by the new manager William John Hammond, but faced issues of censorship from Charles Kemble and the Lord Chamberlain's office.
