''Agis, A Tragedy'' is a

blank verse Blank verse is poetry written with regular metre (poetry), metrical but rhyme, unrhymed lines, usually in iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the 16th cen ...

tragedy by the Scottish dramatist

John Home Rev John Home (2 September 1722 – 4 September 1808) was a Scottish minister, soldier and author. His play '' Douglas'' was a standard Scottish school text until the Second World War, but his work is now largely neglected. In 1783, he was ...

. It was his first play, but has been greatly overshadowed, by his second (and once famous) play ''

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...

''. It is a classical drama, based on the life of Agis, king of Sparta and is founded on

Plutarch Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

's narrative."HOME, John", in 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica After writing the play in Scotland in 1747, Home took it to London, and submitted it to

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

for representation at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the boundary between the Covent Garden and Holborn areas of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of London Borough of Camden, Camden and the southern part in the City o ...

, but it was rejected as unsuitable for the stage. The play was produced later at Drury Lane on 21 February 1758 by Garrick. It was interpreted by actors, the play was performed for eleven days but considered inferior to Douglas, another Home's play. The Drury Lane cast featured Garrick as Lysander,

Henry Mossop Henry Mossop (1729 – 18 November 1773) was an Irish actor. Life He was born in Dunmore, County Galway, Dunmore, County Galway, where his father was a clergyman. He made his first stage appearance as Zanga in Edward Young, Young's tragedy ''T ...

as Agis, William Havard as Amphares, Thomas Davies as Euxus, Charles Holland as Reusus,

Hannah Pritchard Hannah Pritchard (née Vaughan, 1711 – 1768) was an English actress who regularly played opposite David Garrick. She performed many significant Shakespearean roles and created on stage many important female roles by contemporary playwrights. ...

as Ageistrata, Mary Ann Yates as Sandane and

Susannah Cibber Susannah Maria Cibber (née Arne; February 1714 – 30 January 1766) was a celebrated English singer and actress. She was the sister of the composer Thomas Arne. Although she began her career as a soprano, her voice lowered in the early part of h ...

as Euathane.Hogan p.647

References

Bibliography

* Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of English Drama 1660–1900: Volume III''. Cambridge University Press, 2009. * Hogan, C.B (ed.) ''The London Stage, 1660–1800: Volume IV''. Southern Illinois University Press, 1968.

External links

Agis A Tragedy on Google plays
1747 plays 1747 in Scotland West End plays Tragedy plays Plays based on works by Plutarch Plays by John Home {{Scotland-stub