Elizabeth Currer was an Irish
stage actress
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
of the
Restoration Era. 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 hats period, theatres b ...
during the 1670s and subsequently part of the merged
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. Although she was likely acting in London several years earlier than this, her first known role was in ''
The Conquest of China
''The Conquest of China by the Tartars'' is a 1675 tragedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was originally performed by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London.
The initial cast included Thomas Gillow as Theinmingus, H ...
'' in 1675. Due to the irregular spelling of the time her surname is sometimes written as Carrier, Corer and Currier amongst other variants.
[Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.98-99]
Selected roles
* Alcinda in ''
The Conquest of China
''The Conquest of China by the Tartars'' is a 1675 tragedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was originally performed by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London.
The initial cast included Thomas Gillow as Theinmingus, H ...
'' 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 of ...
(1675)
* Betty Frisque 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
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 ...
(1676)
* Asteria in ''
Ibrahim'' 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 of ...
(1676)
* Clarinda in ''
The Virtuoso'' by
Thomas Shadwell
Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689.
Life
Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Lynford, Norfolk, and educated at Bu ...
(1676)
* Mrs Hadland in ''
The Counterfeit Bridegroom'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1677)
* Lady Fancy in ''
Sir Patient Fancy'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1678)
* Madame Tricklove in ''
Squire Oldsapp
''Squire Oldsapp'' is a 1678 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. Staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London, the original cast included Thomas Betterton as Welfore, William Smith as Henry, John Crosby ...
'' by
Thomas Durfey
Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera.
Life
D'Urfey was born in Devon ...
(1678)
* Marcella in ''
The Feign'd Curtizans
''The Feign'd Curtizans, or, A Nights Intrigue'' is a 1679 comedic stage play by the English author Aphra Behn. Behn dedicated the play, originally performed at the Duke's Company in London, to the well-known actress and mistress of King Charle ...
'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1679)
* Jenny Wheedle in ''
The Virtuous Wife
Proverbs 31 is the 31st and final chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Verses 1 to 9 present the advice which King Lemuel's mother gave to him, about how a just king should reign. The re ...
'' by
Thomas Durfey
Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera.
Life
D'Urfey was born in Devon ...
(1679)
* Queen in ''
The Loyal General
''The Loyal General'' is a 1679 tragedy by the Irish writer Nahum Tate. It was first performed at the Dorset Garden Theatre by the Duke's Company. The prologue was written by John Dryden.
The original cast included Thomas Betterton as Theocrin ...
'' by
Nahum Tate
Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 literary adaptation, adaptation ...
(1679)
* Lady Eleanor Butler in ''
The Misery of Civil War'' 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 ...
(1680)
* Euginia in ''
The London Cuckolds'' by
Edward Ravenscroft (1681)
* Isabella in ''
The False Count'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1681)
* Acquilina in ''
Venice Preserved'' by
Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway (3 March 165214 April 1685) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for '' Venice Preserv'd'', or ''A Plot Discover'd'' (1682).
Life
Otway was born at Trotton near Midhurst, the parish of which his father ...
(1682)
* Lady Medler in ''
Mr. Turbulent
''Mr Turbulent; Or, The Melanchollicks'' is a 1682 comedy play by an anonymous author. It was originally staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London.
The original cast included Cave Underhill as Timothy Turbulent, Thom ...
'' by
Anonymous
Anonymous may refer to:
* Anonymity, the state of an individual's identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown
** Anonymous work, a work of art or literature that has an unnamed or unknown creator or author
* Anonym ...
(1682)
* Diana in ''
The City Heiress'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1682)
* Mrs Featly in ''
Dame Dobson
''Dame Dobson'' is a 1683 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft.
First staged by the United Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre, the original cast included Katherine Corey as Dame Dobson, Edward Kynaston as Collonel, Thoma ...
'' by
Edward Ravenscroft (1683)
* Isabella in ''
A Duke and No Duke
''A Duke and No Duke'' is a 1684 comedy play by the Irish writer Nahum Tate. It was originally staged by the United Company at the Drury Lane Theatre in London with a cast including John Wiltshire as Lavinio, Thomas Gillow as Barberino, Joseph ...
'' by
Nahum Tate
Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 literary adaptation, adaptation ...
(1684)
* Widow Ranter in ''
The Widow Ranter'' by
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...
(1689)
References
Bibliography
* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Corye to Dynion''. SIU Press, 1975.
* Howe, Elizabeth. ''The First English Actresses: Women and Drama, 1660-1700''. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
17th-century English people
17th-century Irish people
English stage actresses
Irish stage actresses
17th-century English actresses
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
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