''Merope'' is a 1731

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

by the British writer George Jeffreys. It takes place in

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

, based around the myth of Merope.

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his '' nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...

wrote his own play ''

Mérope ''Mérope'' (original French title: ''La Mérope Française'') is a tragedy in five acts by Voltaire. The text is a reworking by Voltaire of the Italian tragedy ''Merope'' (1713) by Scipione Maffei, dating from 1736/1737. The play premiered in 1 ...

'' on the subject in 1743. The original cast included

Anne Berriman Anne Parker (1696-1740) was a British stage actress of the eighteenth century. She is also known by her married names Anne Berriman and Anne Hallam. She first appeared at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in 1720 as Regan in ''King Lear'' and Meli ...

as Merope,

James Quin James Quin (24 February 1693 – 21 January 1766) was an English actor of Irish descent. Life Quin was born in King Street, Covent Garden, London, an illegitimate son of James Quin, an Irish-born barrister, and his partner (whom he apparently ...

as Glycon, Thomas Chapman as Nicanor, Thomas Walker as Adrastus,

Lacy Ryan Lacy Ryan (c. 1694–1760), English actor, appeared at the Haymarket Theatre about 1709. Life By 1718 he had joined the company at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where he shared the lead with his friend James Quin. He took leading roles in ''Richard ...

as Egistus,

William Milward William Milward (1702-1742) was a British stage actor. He began his career with John Rich's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre and also appeared at the Haymarket. From 1734 he became part of the company at Drury Lane where he remained ...

as Polydorus, Charles Hulett as Argaleon and John Ogden as Arbantes. The

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

was written by Aaron Hill.

References

Bibliography

* Burling, William J. ''A Checklist of New Plays and Entertainments on the London Stage, 1700-1737''. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1992. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''History of English Drama, 1660-1900, Volume 2''. Cambridge University Press, 2009. 1731 plays British plays West End plays Tragedy plays {{play-stub