''Fashionable Friends'' is an 1802

comedy play Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity. For ancient Greeks and Romans, a comedy was a stage-play with a happy endi ...

by the British author

Mary Berry Dame Mary Rosa Alleyne Hunnings (''née'' Berry; born 24 March 1935) is an English food writer, chef, baker and television presenter. After being encouraged in domestic science classes at school, she studied catering at college. She then move ...

, although she initially claimed it to have been written by her friend

Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (; 24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English Whig politician, writer, historian and antiquarian. He had Strawberry Hill House built in Twickenham, southwest London ...

and found amongst his possessions after his death. It appeared at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

on 22 April 1802.Greene p.4509 The Drury Lane cast included Thomas King as Sir Valentine Vapour,

Charles Kemble Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a British actor from the prominent Kemble family. Life Charles Kemble was one of 13 siblings and the youngest son of English Roman Catholic theatre manager/actor Roger Kemble, and Ir ...

as Sir Dudley Dorimant, William Barrymore as Mr. Lovell,

Richard Suett Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and ...

as Doctor Syrop, Walter Maddocks as Music Master,

Ralph Wewitzer Ralph Wewitzer (1748–1825) was an English actor. He won critical acclaim in supporting parts, but was never given leading roles. He had a 44-year acting career, and is thought to have learned over 400 speaking parts. Early roles at Covent Garde ...

as Lapierre,

Maria Theresa Kemble Maria Theresa Kemble (1774–1838), née Marie Thérèse Du Camp, was an Archduchy of Austria-born English actress, singer, dancer and comic playwright on the stage. She was the wife of actor Charles Kemble and mother of Fanny Kemble, part of t ...

as Lady Selina Vapour,

Jane Pope Jane Pope (1744 – 30 July 1818) was an English actress. Life Pope was the daughter William and Susanna Pope. Her father was a London theatrical wig-maker for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. (There has been confusion over her date of birth wi ...

as Mrs. Racket,

Dorothea Jordan Dorothea Jordan (née Bland; 22 November 17615 July 1816) was an Anglo-Irish actress, as well as a courtesan. She was the long-time partner of Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later King William IV), and the mother of 10 illegitimate children ...

as Miss Racket,

Sarah Harlowe Sarah Harlowe (c. 1765–1852) was a popular actress of the London stage around the turn of the 19th century. Biography Harlowe was born in London in about 1765. Under the name of Mrs.Harlowe, she made her first appearance on the stage at Colnbr ...

as Trimming and

Charlotte Tidswell Charlotte Tidswell (c. 1760 – 3 September 1846) was an English actress. Life Tidswell was born in 1759 or 1760 and her father may have been a soldier. She may have been acting for five years when her name was first mentioned when she appeared ...

as Lappet. The

prologue A prologue or prolog (from Ancient Greek πρόλογος ''prólogos'', from πρό ''pró'', "before" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier st ...

was written by

William Robert Spencer William Robert Spencer (9 January 176922/23 October 1834) was an English poet and wit from the Spencer family. Early life Spencer was born in Kensington Palace on 9 January 1769. He was the younger son of Lord Charles Spencer and his wife Mar ...

. The title is also written as ''The Fashionable Friends''.

References

Bibliography

* Greene, John C. ''Theatre in Dublin, 1745-1820: A Calendar of Performances, Volume 6''. Lexington Books, 2011. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of English Drama 1660–1900: Volume IV''. Cambridge University Press, 2009. 1802 plays Comedy plays West End plays British plays {{play-stub