John Richards was an English stage actor of the seventeenth century. An early 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 London, he was lured away to the new

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 ...

in Dublin by

John Ogilby John Ogilby, Ogelby, or Oglivie (17 November 16004 September 1676) was a Scottish translator, impresario, publisher and cartographer. He was probably at least a half-brother to James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Airlie, though neither overtly acknowl ...

.Roberts p.143 He was back with the Duke's at the

Dorset Garden Theatre The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the Du ...

from the mid-1670s, but while in Ireland he was able to play major roles his English performances were generally supporting parts.

Selected roles

* Fryar in ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(1662) * Castruchio in ''

The Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theat ...

'' by

John Webster John Webster (c. 1578 – c. 1632) was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies '' The White Devil'' and ''The Duchess of Malfi'', which are often seen as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. His life and car ...

(1662) * Pyrrhus in '' Mustapha'' by Roger Boyle (1665) * Zarrack in ''

Abdelazer ''Abdelazer; or, The Moor's Revenge'' ( or ) is a 1676 play by Aphra Behn, an adaptation of the c. 1600 tragedy '' Lust's Dominion''. It is Behn's only tragic play. Plot Abdelazer is a captive Moor living at the court of King Philip of Spain, ...

'' 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 ...

(1676) * Prating Shop Keeper in '' The Wrangling Lovers'' 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 ...

(1676) * Laurence in '' Tom Essence'' by Thomas Rawlins (1676) * Flaile in '' Madam Fickle'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1676) * Shift in '' The Cheats of Scapin'' 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 ...

(1676) * Dameta in ''

Pastor Fido ''Pastor Fido; Or, The Faithful Shepherd'' is a 1676 tragicomedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was first performed by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. It is inspired by Giovanni Battista Guarini's pastoral wor ...

'' 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 ...

(1676) * Stephano in '' The Rover'' by

(1677) * Spatterdash in ''

A Fond Husband ''A Fond Husband; Or, The Plotting Sisters'' also known as ''The Fond Husband'' is a 1677 comedy play by the English writer Thomas D'Urfey. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at London's Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Wi ...

'' by Thomas D'Urfey (1677) * Audacio 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) * Sam in '' The Counterfeit Bridegroom'' by

(1677) * Tonto in ''

The Counterfeits ''The Counterfeits'' is a 1678 comedy play by the English writer John Leanerd. It was staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre with a cast that included Anthony Leigh as Don Gomez, Thomas Gillow as Don Luis, Thomas Betterton as ...

'' by

John Leanerd John Leanerd () was a British playwright who is known for plagiarising. Works * ''The Country Innocence, The Country Innocence; or, the Chambermaid turn'd Quaker'', London, a comedy acted at the London Theatre Royal in Lent, 1677, by the younger ...

(1678) * Curry in '' Sir Patient Fancy'' by

(1678) * Anthenor in ''

Troilus and Cressida ''The Tragedy of Troilus and Cressida'', often shortened to ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ), is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forc ...

'' 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 ...

(1679) * Albricio in '' The Loving Enemies'' by Lewis Maidwell (1680) * Bloody Bones in '' The Souldiers Fortune'' by

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

(1681) * Pollux in '' Mr Turbulent'' 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) * Goslin in '' Dame Dobson'' by

(1683)

References

Bibliography

* Roberts, David. ''George Farquhar: A Migrant Life Reversed''. * Todd, Janet. ''The Works of Aphra Behn: v. 6: Complete Plays''. Routledge, 2018. * Van Lennep, W. ''The London Stage, 1660–1800: Volume One, 1660–1700''. Southern Illinois University Press, 1960. English male stage actors 17th-century English male actors Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown {{England-stage-actor-stub