Elinor Leigh was a British stage actor of the seventeenth century. Born Elinor Dixon, she was billed as Mrs Leigh or Mrs Lee after she married the actor

Anthony Leigh Anthony Leigh (died 1692) was a celebrated English comic actor. Life He was from a Northamptonshire family, and was not closely related to the actor John Leigh (18th-century actor), John Leigh (c.1689–1726?). He joined the Duke of York's comp ...

in 1671. This has led to some difficulty distinguishing on

playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for Audience, theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the ...

s between her and the actress

Mary Slingsby Mary, Lady Slingsby, born Aldridge (perhaps died 1693), was an English actress. After a marriage lasting 1670 to 1680 to John Lee, an actor, during which she was on the stage as Mrs. Lee, she was widowed. She then married Sir Charles Slingsby, ...

who also acted under her married name of Lee at the time. In addition another actress with the name Elizabeth Leigh was also active during the period. She was a member of the

Duke's Company The Duke's Company was a theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era, 1660. Sir William Davenant was manager of the company under the patronage of Prince James, Duke of York. During that period, theatres ...

in the 1670s which was then merged into the

United Company The United Company was a London theatre company formed in 1682 with the merger of the King's Company and the Duke's Company. Both the Duke's and King's Companies suffered poor attendance during the turmoil of the Popish Plot period, 1678–8 ...

from 1682, acting mainly 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 ...

. Her husband died in 1692, and in 1695 she joined those who left to form a new company under

Thomas Betterton Thomas Betterton (August 1635 – 28 April 1710) was the leading male actor and theatre manager during Restoration England. He was the son of an under-cook to King Charles I and was born in London. Apprentice and actor Betterton was born in ...

at the

Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre 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 Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama p.lvi

Selected roles

* Melvissa in '' The Women's Conquest'' by Edward Howard (1670) * Petilla in '' The Six Days' Adventure'' by Edward Howard (1671) * Orinda in '' Cambyses, King Of Persia'' by

Elkanah Settle Elkanah Settle (1 February 1648 – 12 February 1724) was an English poet and playwright. Biography He was born at Dunstable, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1666, but left without taking a degree. His first tragedy, '' Cambyses, King ...

(1671) * Betty in '' The Town Shifts'' by Edward Revet (1671) * Julia in ''

Charles VIII of France Charles VIII, called the Affable (; 30 June 1470 – 7 April 1498), was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. He succeeded his father Louis XI at the age of 13. His elder sister Anne acted as regent jointly with her husband Peter II, Du ...

'' by

John Crowne John Crowne (6 April 1641 – 1712) was a British dramatist. His father "Colonel" William Crowne, accompanied the earl of Arundel on a diplomatic mission to Vienna in 1637, and wrote an account of his journey. He emigrated to Nova Scotia where ...

(1671) * Betty Trickmore in '' The Citizen Turned Gentleman'' by

Edward Ravenscroft Edward Ravenscroft ( – 1707) was an English dramatist who belonged to an ancient Flintshire family. He was entered at the Middle Temple, but devoted his attention mainly to literature. Ravenscroft was the first critic to posit that Shakesp ...

(1672) * Beatrice in '' The Careless Lovers'' by

(1673) * Isabella in ''

The Country Wit ''The Country Wit'' is a 1676 comedy play by the English writer John Crowne, part of the tradition of Restoration Comedy. It was first staged at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London by the Duke's Company. The cast included Samuel Sandford as Sir ...

'' by

(1676) * Scintilla in ''

The French Conjuror ''The French Conjuror'' is a comedy play by the English writer Thomas Porter (dramatist), Thomas Porter. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London in June 1677. The original cast included Thomas Jevon as Av ...

'' by Thomas Porter (1677) * Paulina in '' The Loving Enemies'' by Lewis Maidwell (1680) * Mrs Dashit in '' The Revenge'' by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; baptism, bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration (England), Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writ ...

(1680) * Tournon in '' The Princess of Cleve'' by

Nathaniel Lee Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth; Dr Lee was chaplain to George Monck, afterw ...

(1680) * Engine in '' The London Cuckolds'' by

(1681) * Mrs Closet in '' The City Heiress'' by

(1682) * Mrs Prudence in '' Dame Dobson'' by

(1683) * Clara in '' The Disappointment''

Thomas Southerne Thomas Southerne (12 February 166026 May 1746) was an Irish dramatist. Biography Thomas Southerne, born on 12 February 1660, in Oxmantown, near Dublin, was an Irish dramatist. He was the son of Francis Southerne (a Dublin brewer) and Margare ...

(1684) * Johayma in '' Don Sebastian'' by

John Dryden John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration (En ...

(1689) * Lady Sly in '' The Fortune Hunters'' by John Carlile (1689) * Lady Pinchgut in '' The English Friar'' by

(1690) * Oyley in ''

Love for Money ''Love For Money; Or, The Boarding School'' is a 1691 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. It was originally staged at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by the United Company. In 1733 it was adapted into a ballad opera ''The Boarding Sch ...

'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1691) * Mrs Hackwell in '' The Volunteers'' by

Thomas Shadwell Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate in 1689. Life Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Ly ...

(1692) * Siam in '' The Maid's Last Prayer'' by

(1693) * Lucy in ''

The Old Bachelor "The Old Bachelor" at Covent Garden in 1756 featuring Mrs Elmy... ''The Old Bachelor'' is the first play written by United Kingdom">British playwright William Congreve, produced in 1693 in literature, 1693. Incidental music for the play was wri ...

'' by

William Congreve William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright, satirist, poet, and Whig politician. He spent most of his career between London and Dublin, and was noted for his highly polished style of writing, being regard ...

(1693) * Lady Meanwell in ''

The Female Virtuosos ''The Female Virtuosos'' is a 1693 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Wright. It is based on the 1672 play ''Les Femmes Savantes'' by the French writer Molière about two young sisters who try and get out of a marriage arrangement with a f ...

'' by Thomas Wright (1693) * Lady Plyant in ''

The Double Dealer ''The Double Dealer'' is a comic play written by English playwright William Congreve, first produced in 1693. Incidental music for the play was written by Henry Purcell. Characters and plot This comedy sees character Mellefont, nephew and pr ...

'' by

(1693) * Marmalette in '' The Richmond Heiress'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1693) * Mrs Sneaksby in '' A Very Good Wife'' by George Powell (1693) * Nurse in '' The Fatal Marriage'' by

(1694) * Rosalin in '' The Ambitious Slave'' by

(1694) * Vesuvia in '' The Lover's Luck'' by Thomas Dilke (1695) * Plackett in '' The She-Gallants'' by George Granville (1695) * Betty in '' The Country Wake'' by

Thomas Doggett Thomas Doggett (or Dogget; 20 September 1721) was an Irish actor. The birth date of 1640 seems unlikely. A more probable date of 1670 is given in the Encyclopædia Britannica. Biography Born in Dublin, he made his first stage appearance in Lon ...

(1696) * Doctor's wife in '' The Anatomist'' by

(1696) * Secreta in '' The City Lady'' by Thomas Dilke (1696) * Lady Beauclair in ''

The Innocent Mistress ''The Innocent Mistress'' is a comedy written by Mary Pix, first performed in 1697. Plot Sir Charles, a younger son with no estate, is unhappily married to the wealthier, older and "ill-bred" Lady Beauclair. Lady Beauclair is supposedly a ...

'' by

Mary Pix Mary Pix (1666 – 17 May 1709) was an English novelist and playwright. As an admirer of Aphra Behn and colleague of Susanna Centlivre, Pix has been called "a link between women writers of the Stuart Restoration, Restoration and Augustan litera ...

(1697) * Lady Temptyouth in ''

The Deceiver Deceived ''The Deceiver Deceived'' is a comedy written by Mary Pix, first performed in 1697. Pix's unpublished manuscript was rejected by the actor and producer George Powell, who subsequently plagiarized it in his play ''Imposture Defeated'' (1697). ...

'' by

(1697) * Grossiere in ''

The Intrigues at Versailles ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' by Thomas d'Urfey (1697) * Sweetny in ''

The Pretenders The Pretenders are a British rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (ba ...

'' by Thomas Dilke (1698) * Phenissa in '' Rinaldo and Armida'' by John Dennis (1698) * Lady Laycock in ''

The Amorous Widow ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...

'' by

(1699) * Lady Wishfort in ''

The Way of the World ''The Way of the World'' is a play written by the English playwright William Congreve. It premiered in early March 1700 in the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields in London. It is widely regarded as one of the best works of Restoration comedy ev ...

'' by

(1700) * Sophia in ''

The Czar of Muscovy ''The Czar of Muscovy'' is a play attributed to author Mary Pix, first performed and published in 1701. The play is based on the reign of False Dmitriy I (reigned 1605-1606), and also depicts his consort Marina Mniszech. It premiered at the Li ...

'' by

(1701) * Lady Rakelove in '' The Gentleman Cully'' by Charles Johnson (1701) * Lady Autumn in ''

The Ladies Visiting Day ''The Ladies Visiting Day'' is a 1701 comedy play by the English writer William Burnaby.Nicoll p.98 The original Lincoln's Inn Fields cast included Thomas Betterton as Courtine, John Verbruggen as Polidore, Thomas Doggett as Sir Testy Dolt, ...

'' by William Burnaby (1701) * Mrs Plotwell in '' The Beau's Duel'' by

Susanna Centlivre Susanna Centlivre (c. 1669 (baptised) – 1 December 1723), born Susanna Freeman, and also known professionally as Susanna Carroll, was an English poet, actress, and "the most successful female playwright of the eighteenth century". Centlivre's ...

(1702) * Widow Bellmont in ''

The Different Widows ''The Different Widows'' is a 1703 comedy by the British writer Mary Pix.Nicoll p.350 It premiered at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London. The original cast included George Powell (playwright), George Powell as Sir James Belmont, John Cor ...

'' by

(1703) * Dromia in ''

Love Betrayed ''Love Betrayed'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer William Burnaby. It is also known by the longer title ''Love Betray'd; Or, The Agreeable Disappointment''. It was a reworking of Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night''.Dobson p.124 The orig ...

'' by William Burnaby (1703) * Chloris in '' As You Find It'' by Charles Boyle (1703) * Lady Stale in '' The Biter'' by Nicholas Rowe (1704) * Peeper in '' The Platonick Lady'' by

(1706)

References

Bibliography

*Bush-Bailey, Gilli. ''Treading the Bawds: Actresses and Playwrights on the Late-Stuart Stage''. Manchester University Press, 2006. * Straub, Kristina, G. Anderson, Misty and O'Quinn, Daniel . ''The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama''. Taylor & Francis, 2017. {{DEFAULTSORT:Leigh, Elinor English stage actresses British stage actresses 17th-century English actresses 18th-century British actresses