Henry Siddons
Encyclopedia
Henry Siddons was an English actor and theatrical manager, now remembered as a writer on gesture
.
, and was educated at Charterhouse School
, being intended by his mother for the church. He, however, joined the Covent Garden Theatre company, and made his first appearance as Herman in a play called Integrity, 8 October 1801. His future wife, Harriet Murray, played in the same piece. His mother withdrew objections to his becoming an actor, and acted Lady Randolph to his Douglas on 21 May 1802, on the occasion of his benefit. He married on 22 June 1802, and remained a member of the Covent Garden Theatre until the spring of 1805.
On 21 September 1805 he made his first appearance at Drury Lane, playing Prince of Wales to Robert William Elliston
's Hotspur in Henry IV. On 7 October he appeared as Romeo, and on the following evening as Sir G. Touchwood in the Belle's Stratagem. During his time at Drury Lane he played a variety of parts, including Banquo, Jaffier, George Barnwell, Douglas (in Percy), Claudio (in Much Ado About Nothing
), and Rolla. He terminated his connection with the London stage at the close of the season 1808–9. Largely through Sir Walter Scott's influence, he then secured the Edinburgh patent, and opened there on 14 November 1809 with the Honeymoon, in which he played the Duke; his wife appeared as Juliana.
On starting his managerial career, Siddons aimed at producing plays with greater efficiency in all directions than before, at the Edinburgh Theatre; he was encouraged and supported by Scott. Siddons had an eye for talent, bringing on Daniel Terry
and William Oxberry. Joanna Baillie
's Family Legend was produced by Siddons on 29 January 1810. On 15 January 1811 Siddons produced the Lady of the Lake; an adaptation in which he himself played Fitzjames. But he was fighting an uphill battle, and lost much money. He died at Edinburgh on 12 April 1815.
, Ideen zu Einer Mimik from 1785; Engel was then director of the National Theatre in Berlin
. It appeared as Illustrations of Gesture and Action (1807). This book was consulted by Charles Darwin
during the preparation of his The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
, published in 1872. The introduction explains the need to replace the references specific to German drama, rather than simply translate. The actual effect is more an uneasy grafting of techniques from the German neo-classical school of acting, onto a British stock. The 1822 edition also draws on the Essay on Gesture of Michael William Sharp.
He also wrote some plays; of one, ‘The Friend of the Family,’ Scott wrote, ‘Siddons's play was truly flat, but not unprofitable.’ Other pieces by him were ‘Time's a Tell-tale,’ and ‘Tale of Terror, or a Castle without a Spectre’ (produced at Covent Garden on 12 May 1803).
Gesture
A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of speech or together and in parallel with spoken words. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body...
.
Life
Born on 4 October 1774, he was the eldest child of Sarah SiddonsSarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character,...
, and was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, being intended by his mother for the church. He, however, joined the Covent Garden Theatre company, and made his first appearance as Herman in a play called Integrity, 8 October 1801. His future wife, Harriet Murray, played in the same piece. His mother withdrew objections to his becoming an actor, and acted Lady Randolph to his Douglas on 21 May 1802, on the occasion of his benefit. He married on 22 June 1802, and remained a member of the Covent Garden Theatre until the spring of 1805.
On 21 September 1805 he made his first appearance at Drury Lane, playing Prince of Wales to Robert William Elliston
Robert William Elliston
Robert William Elliston was an English actor and theatre manager.He was born in London, the son of a watchmaker. He was educated at St Paul's School, but ran away from home and made his first appearance on the stage as Tressel in Richard III at Bath in 1791...
's Hotspur in Henry IV. On 7 October he appeared as Romeo, and on the following evening as Sir G. Touchwood in the Belle's Stratagem. During his time at Drury Lane he played a variety of parts, including Banquo, Jaffier, George Barnwell, Douglas (in Percy), Claudio (in Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
), and Rolla. He terminated his connection with the London stage at the close of the season 1808–9. Largely through Sir Walter Scott's influence, he then secured the Edinburgh patent, and opened there on 14 November 1809 with the Honeymoon, in which he played the Duke; his wife appeared as Juliana.
On starting his managerial career, Siddons aimed at producing plays with greater efficiency in all directions than before, at the Edinburgh Theatre; he was encouraged and supported by Scott. Siddons had an eye for talent, bringing on Daniel Terry
Daniel Terry
Daniel Terry was an English actor and playwright, known also as a close associate of Sir Walter Scott.-Life:He was born in Bath about 1780, and was educated at the Bath grammar school and subsequently at a private school at Wingfield , Wiltshire, under the Rev. Edward Spencer...
and William Oxberry. Joanna Baillie
Joanna Baillie
Joanna Baillie was a Scottish poet and dramatist. Baillie was very well known during her lifetime and, though a woman, intended her plays not for the closet but for the stage. Admired both for her literary powers and her sweetness of disposition, she hosted a brilliant literary society in her...
's Family Legend was produced by Siddons on 29 January 1810. On 15 January 1811 Siddons produced the Lady of the Lake; an adaptation in which he himself played Fitzjames. But he was fighting an uphill battle, and lost much money. He died at Edinburgh on 12 April 1815.
Works
He adapted a work by Johann Jakob EngelJohann Jakob Engel
Johann Jakob Engel was a German author.- Life :Engel studied theology at Rostock and Bützow, and philosophy at Leipzig, where he took his doctors' degree...
, Ideen zu Einer Mimik from 1785; Engel was then director of the National Theatre in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. It appeared as Illustrations of Gesture and Action (1807). This book was consulted by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
during the preparation of his The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals is a book by Charles Darwin, published in 1872, concerning genetically determined aspects of behaviour. It was published thirteen years after On The Origin of Species and is, along with his 1871 book The Descent of Man, Darwin's main consideration...
, published in 1872. The introduction explains the need to replace the references specific to German drama, rather than simply translate. The actual effect is more an uneasy grafting of techniques from the German neo-classical school of acting, onto a British stock. The 1822 edition also draws on the Essay on Gesture of Michael William Sharp.
He also wrote some plays; of one, ‘The Friend of the Family,’ Scott wrote, ‘Siddons's play was truly flat, but not unprofitable.’ Other pieces by him were ‘Time's a Tell-tale,’ and ‘Tale of Terror, or a Castle without a Spectre’ (produced at Covent Garden on 12 May 1803).