"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 2 of 3)Doran, Dr. (John)
History
"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 2 of 3)
Doran, Dr. (John)
Actors -- Great Britain; Theater -- Great Britain -- History
She returned to the "Garden" in the season 1754-55, going through
all her best characters in that, and the two succeeding, and her
final seasons. The last male part she acted was Lothario; the last
original part she created was Lady Randolph (which, however, had
been previously played in Edinburgh by Mrs. Ward), and in Rosalind,
paralysis put an end to her professional career. Just previously, her
Lothario had not been highly esteemed; and Barry, in the memorable
suit of white puckered satin, had produced all the effect in
"Douglas." This affected her spirits. Then she was annoyed at young
Tate Wilkinson, whom Foote had just brought on the stage, and who had
audaciously imitated the worst parts of Margaret's voice. Almost the
only unkind act that can be laid to Mrs. Woffington's charge, was her
consequent attempt to induce Rich not to enter into an engagement
with Wilkinson. Her scorn drove the unfortunate young gentleman,
for his story was a sad one, from the green-room, despite the
interference of Shuter. One night, as she was playing Clarissa in the
"Confederacy," she saw Wilkinson in a stage-box with Captain Forbes,
and unable to control her rage, she came close to the box, and
absolutely made him shrink back by the sneering sarcasm with which
she flung at him one of her speeches. A rude woman in the box above
mimicked her peculiar voice so well, as Clarissa turned away, that
Mrs. Woffington thought it came from Wilkinson. That night she swept
through the green-room, a beautiful fury, and the next day, at Rich's
levee, she assailed Tate with terrible eloquence, prophesied evil to
him, wished the evil she prophesied, and altogether manifested little
of the kindly nature which was, in truth, her own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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