Thomas Betterton
Thomas Betterton (* around 1635 in London ; † April 28, 1710 ibid) was an English actor during the Restoration period .
Life
Betterton's father was one of the assistant cooks at the court of King Charles I of England . Betterton junior apprenticed to the publisher John Holden and presumably continued his training with a bookseller named Rhodes who oversaw the costumes of the Blackfriars Theater . Rhodes was granted a license in 1659 to set up its own drama company and opened its own theater in London's Drury Lane in 1660. Betterton made his first appearance there and was hired by William Davenant the following year for his acting company at Lincoln Inn's Fields.
His acting talent immediately made Thomas Betterton known and he soon took on leading roles. Betterton also quickly gained recognition from Charles II , who sent him to Paris to get ideas for the further development of British theater. After Davenant's death in 1668, Betterton became head of the troupe, which in 1671 , now known as the Patent Theater , moved to the Dorset Garden Theater. Between 1682 and 1688 he was manager of the Theater Royal Drury Lane . By the beginning of the 1690s, dealing with the theater management (especially under Christopher Rich ) with the actors had become unbearable and Betterton left the Theater Royal in 1695. With the support of nine fellow actors, he opened the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theater that same year with William Congreve's play " Love for Love ". Betterton died on April 28, 1710 and was buried in Westminster Abbey .
Thomas Betterton was of medium height, athletically built, though prone to fullness. His voice was more assertive than melodic. Both Samuel Pepys , Alexander Pope , Richard Steele and Colley Cibber praised his acting talent. His repertoire included a number of Shakespeare roles, but his portrayal of Lord Foppington in the play The Provoked Wife by the versatile John Vanbrugh also became famous . He is also said to have had a morally sound life, which was unusual both for the time and for his profession. He had been married since 1662 to Mary Saunderson , an equally notable actress who often played Ophelia when he gave Hamlet .
libretto
- The Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian . Semi-opera . Music: Henry Purcell . Premiere 1690 London (Dorset Garden)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Betterton, Thomas |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English actor of the Restoration period |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1635 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 28, 1710 |
| Place of death | London |