Francis Aickin (died 1805), was an Irish actor, who worked at the Edinburgh Theatre in Scotland, and the between 1765 and 1792 in theatres in the West End of London. Francis Aickin first appeared in London in 1765 as Dick Amlet in

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restor ...

's '' The Confederacy'' at Drury Lane. He acted there, and at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

, until 1792. His repertory consisted of over eighty characters, and among his best parts were the Ghost in ''Hamlet'' and Jaques in ''As You Like It''. His success in impassioned declamatory roles obtained for him the nickname of "Tyrant".

Biography

Francis Aickin was born in Dublin and brought up to the trade of his father, a weaver in that city; but, following the example of his younger brother,

James Aickin James Aickin (died 1803), was an Irish stage actor who worked at the Edinburgh Theatre in Scotland and in theatres in the West End of London. He was the younger brother of the actor Francis Aickin (died 1803) with whom he shared the stage at t ...

, he became a strolling player. Having appeared as George Barnwell and sustained other characters in various country towns, he joined the manager of the

Smock Alley Theatre Since the 17th century, there have been numerous theatres in Dublin with the name Smock Alley. The current Smock Alley Theatre () is a 21st-century theatre in Dublin, converted from a 19th-century church building, incorporating structural mat ...

, Dublin. Aickin the shared the management of the Edinburgh Theatre in Scotland's capital with Mr. John Jackson, before moving to London. He made his first appearance 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 ...

as Dick in '' The Confederacy'' on 17 May 1765. He continued a member of the Drury Lane Company until the close of the season of 1773–1774. In the following year he carried his services to Covent Garden, and appeared there every year until the close of the season of 1791–1792. Aickin had commenced business as a hosier in York Street, Covent Garden, and obtained the patronage of certain members of the Royal family. He closed his shop in 1787 on the death of his first wife, an Irish lady of family and some fortune, and entered upon the management of the Liverpool Theatre. His success was not great, but he prospered by a second marriage with a widow dowered with £800 a year. Genest gives a list of upwards of eighty characters which Francis Aickin was accustomed to assume. Both Atckins and his brother James were members of the School of Garrick, a club composed of actors who were contemporaries of

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 ...

Assessment

He was of pleasing person, good judgement, his voice was sonorous and distinct, and from his success in the impassioned declamatory parts of tragedy he obtained the nickname of "Tyrant Aickin"—"a character in private life no man was more the reverse of, either in temper or the duties of friendship". Nor did all his merit lie in tragedy; in the serious parts of comedy, such as Sir John Flowerdale in the ''School for Fathers'', the pleasing harmony of his tones, and his precision of expression were of great service to the performance.

Selected roles

* Colonel Camply in ''

The Widowed Wife ''The Widowed Wife'' is a 1767 comedy play by William Kenrick. It premiered at Drury Lane Theatre on 5 December 1767. It closely resembled the plot of '' Memoirs of a Magdalen'' a novel by Hugh Kelly.Bataille p.46 The play enjoyed a fairly suc ...

'' by William Kenrick (1767) * Zingis in '' Zingis'' by

Alexander Dow Alexander Dow (1735 or 1736 – 31 July 1779) was a Scottish Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer in the East India Company. Life He was a native of Crieff, Perthshire. Alexander Dow's father worked at the Customs at Dunbar. The yo ...

(1768) * Pharasmanes in ''

Zenobia Septimia Zenobia (Greek: Ζηνοβία, Palmyrene Aramaic: , ; 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner, and she married the ruler of the ...

'' by Arthur Murphy (1768) * Connan in '' The Fatal Discovery'' by

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 ...

(1769) * Stockwell in '' The West Indian'' by

Richard Cumberland Richard Cumberland may refer to: * Richard Cumberland (philosopher) Richard Cumberland (15 July 1631 (or 1632) – 9 October 1718) was an English philosopher, and Bishop of Peterborough from 1691. In 1672, he published his major work, ''De leg ...

(1771) * Melathon in '' The Grecian Daughter'' by Arthur Murphy (1772) * King of Austuria in ''

Alonzo Alonzo is both a given name and a Spanish language, Spanish surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name *Alonzo de Barcena, 16th-century Spanish Jesuit missionary and linguist *Alonzo de Santa Cruz (–1567), Spanish cartographer, ...

'' by

(1773) * Amasis in '' Sethona'' by

(1774) * Bygrove in '' Know Your Own Mind'' by Arthur Murphy (1777) * Earl Raby in '' Percy'' by

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...

(1777) * Bertrand in ''

The Fatal Falsehood ''The Fatal Falsehood'' is a 1779 tragedy by the British writer Hannah More. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 7 May 1779. The original cast included Matthew Clarke as Earl Guilford, William Thomas Lewis as Rivers, his ...

'' by

(1779) * Grey '' The Chapter of Accidents'' by Sophia Lee (1780) * Daggerly in ''

The Walloons ''The Walloons'' is a comedy play by the British writer Richard Cumberland. It was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London in April 1782. The original cast included John Henderson as Father Sullivan, Richard Wroughton as Mo ...

'' by

(1782) * Colonel Talbot in '' He Would Be a Soldier'' by Frederick Pilon (1786) * Governor Mortonin '' All on a Summer's Day'' by

Elizabeth Inchbald Elizabeth Inchbald (née Simpson, 15 October 1753 – 1 August 1821) was an English novelist, actress, dramatist, and translator. Her two novels, '' A Simple Story'' and '' Nature and Art'', have received particular critical attention. Life B ...

(1787) * Villiers in '' The Ton'' by Eglantine Wallace (1788) * Peasant in '' The Child of Nature'' by

(1788) * Sir Carrol O'Donovan in '' The Toy'' by John O'Keeffe (1789) * Count Kolberg in '' The German Hotel'' by

Thomas Holcroft Thomas Holcroft (10 December 174523 March 1809) was an English dramatist, miscellanist, poet, novelist and translator. He was sympathetic to the early ideas of the French Revolution and helped Thomas Paine to publish the first part of ''The Ri ...

(1790) * Mr Dorimont as '' The School for Arrogance'' by

(1791)

Notes

References

* * Endnotes:* Endnotes: **''Secret History of the

Green Room In show business, the green room is the space in a theatre, or a similar venue, that functions as a waiting room and lounge for Performing arts, performers before, during, and after a performance or show when they are not engaged on Stage (thea ...

s'', 1790 **''Thespian Dictionary'', 1805 **Genest's ''History of the Stage'', 1832 **Hitchcock's ''History of the Irish Stage'', 1794 {{DEFAULTSORT:Aickin, Francis Irish male stage actors Year of birth missing 18th-century births 1805 deaths Male actors from Dublin (city) Place of death missing 18th-century Irish male actors Irish emigrants to Kingdom of Great Britain