Jane Egleton (died 1734) was a British stage actress of the eighteenth century associated with John Rich's company 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, ...

. Her origins are not entirely clear, but she acted under the name Jane Giffard or Mrs Giffard until 1721 when she married John Egleton. She may either have been previously married to one of the members of the Giffard acting clan or been born into the family herself. In 1728 she was the original Lucy Lockit in

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for ''The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peach ...

's ''

The Beggar's Opera ''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of sati ...

''. She continued to act with Rich's company at Lincoln's Inn until 1732 and then remained for the first year after the switch to the new

Covent Garden Theatre The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

before retiring. In addition, she wrote a ballad-opera, ''The Maggot'', which was produced at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 18 April, 1731.Mann, p. 386.

Selected roles

* Bettrice in '' The Lady's Triumph'' (1718) * Le Jupe in '' The Coquet'' (1718) * Lucy in ''

'Tis Well if it Takes ''Tis Well if it Takes'' is a 1719 comedy play by the British writer William Taverner. It premiered at Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is located in Holborn and is the List of city squares by size, largest public square in Lo ...

'' (1719) * Lady Raleigh in ''

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellio ...

'' (1720) * Iris in '' Love and Duty'' (1722) * Mother Stubble in '' Hanging and Marriage'' (1722) * Salome in '' Mariamne'' (1723) * Alice Lovemore in ''

The Devil of a Wife ''The Devil of a Wife, or A Comical Transformation'' is a 1686 comedy play by the English writer and actor Thomas Jevon. It was first performed by the United Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The original Dorset Garden cast include ...

'' (1724) * Frizle in '' The Capricious Lovers'' (1725) * Lady Amsbace in '' The Bath Unmasked'' (1725) * Lettice in '' The Dissembled Wanton'' (1725) * Mrs Joiner in '' The Female Fortune Teller'' (1726) * Lucy Lockit in ''

'' (1728) * Wife of Bath in '' The Wife of Bath'' (1730)

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: Garrick to Gyngell''. SIU Press, 1978. * * Straub, Kristina, G. Anderson, Misty and O'Quinn, Daniel . ''The Routledge Anthology of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama''. Taylor & Francis, 2017. English stage actresses British stage actresses 18th-century British actresses Year of birth unknown 1734 deaths {{England-bio-stub