Woffington, Margaret "Peg"

1717?

1760

She was carefree, fetching, witty, talented, generous, hard-working, caustic, catty, self-centered, vain, tough, passionate, vulnerable, haughty – everything and more that one could ask in an actress. She was Margaret Woffington of Dublin, born perhaps in 1717. Her early years are so shrouded in mystery that her many biographers over the centuries have spilled much ink second-guessing their subject. Fortunately, most of the unanswered questions about her and the many colourful tabloid-type tales of her private life (laid out in the BDA for all to see) did not have much bearing on the stage career that concerns us here. Her earliest theatrical employer may have been the lively Signora Violante, an Italian equilibrist, whose troupe entertained at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin in 1729-30, though the earliest mention of Miss Woffington in the bills came in December 1731: she acted Macheath in a Lilliputian version of “The Beggar’s Opera” at Violante’s ‘booth’ theatre in Dame Street. Peg and her sister Mary, to whom Peg was devoted throughout her life, were in that show again in London, at the Haymarket Theatre on 4 September 1732. By 1735 Peg was at the Aungier Street theatre in Dublin, singing, dancing and acting such parts as Dorinda in an alteration of “The Tempest”, Ophelia in “Hamlet” and Rose in “The Recruiting Officer” – but the critics, if any saw her work, were silent, so we have no way of knowing if the neophyte showed promise or not. But during those years she had the opportunity to learn from, among others, the Elrington family of actors and the actor-manager John Ward. Then traces of her are lost until the winter of 1739, when she was again at Aungier Street to play Polly in “The Beggar’s Opera” and, more importantly, Silvia (a breeches part) in “The Recruiting Officer”. On 25 April 1740 she acted Sir Harry Wildair in “The Constant Couple”, another breeches role and one with which she was identified for the rest of her career. The Dublin audiences loved it. On 6 November 1740 Peg acted Sir Harry at Covent Garden Theatre in London, an appearance commanded by the Prince of Wales. Her 1740-41 season under John Rich’s management also brought her before London audiuences as, among less familiar characters, Cordelia in “King Lear” (with Dennis Delane), Letitia in “The Old Bachelor” and Cherry in “The Stratagem”. Her success was remarkable, and London had found a new idol. Peg, after an argument with Rich over salary, moved to Drury Lane, where she first appeared as Mrs Sullen in “The Stratagem” – with Kitty Clive as Cherry – on 22 September 1741. They would be rivals for years, as would George Ann Bellamy and anyone else who endangered Peg’s position in the limelight (but who can say if her rivalries, and some of her love affairs, were not at least partly the creation of the scribblers, including Horace Walpole, who relished such gossip). Also in 1741-42 at Drury Lane Peg acted Rosalind in “As You Like It”, Lady Brute in “The Provok’d Wife”, Nerissa in “The Merchant of Venice” and Belinda “The Man of Mode”. While Peg Woffington was establishing herself as London’s new model of elegance and beauty at Drury Lane, David Garrick was stunning them at the Goodman’s Fields Theatre as a volatile Richard III. On 26 May 1742 he came over to Drury Lane to act King Lear, with Peg playing Cordelia. They were struck with one another and almost immediately left London for Dublin, where they played Richard III and Lady Anne, Ophelia and Hamlet, Fondlewife and Letitia in “The Old Bachelor” and Silvia and Plume in “The Recruiting Officer”. Then, when they returned to London, they set up housekeeping, something with which Peg was familiar but which was not Davy’s cup of tea. So they eventually went their separate ways socially but continued, for years, a compatible relationship in the theatre. At Drury Lane Peg acted most of her previous characters plus Isabella in “Measure for Measure”, Viola in “Twelfth Night” and Cleopatra in “All for Love', among others. But even after Garrick became stage manager of Dury Lane, Peg was dissatisfied with the roles she received - she was in competition with Susanna Maria Cibber and Kitty Clive - and signed on at Covent Garden again for 1748-49. where she was clearly the leading lady. Indeed she was seen as Portia in 'Julius Ceasar', Calista in 'The Fair Penitent', Desdemona in 'Othello', Lady Macbeth, Gertrude in 'Hamlet' and Lady Fanciful in 'The Provok'd Wife'. She was given more serious rolesat Covent Garden (though often opposite the lumbering Quin), but in 1750-51, Mirs Cobber came over from Drury Lane, adn Peg had to compete again for good parts ( she was given Gertrude because Mrs Cibber was Ophelia for example). It was good experience, and Peg was a willing worker and frequently substituted fro ailing actresses. She had the talent in both comedy and tragedy, and the only falw mentioned by critics was her voice, which Colley Cibber said was 'not that Silver Tone some possess' - and that deiciency may have been more apparent when she had to share the stage with an actress like Mrs Cibber, who was a professional singer. So again Peg felt dissatisfied and left for Dublin in 1751. At Smock Alley Theatre she joined Thomas Sheridan's company for three seasons before returning in the Autumn of 1754 to Covent Garden, where she added to her repertoire, among other characters, Zara in 'The Mourning Bride' and Jocasta in 'Oedipus'. But time was taking its toll. Margaret Woffington had been on the stage over 20 years and had been living an eventful offstage life with her numerous comeptitors in the theatre and with her various lovers. He last stage appearance was at Covent Garden as Rosalind in 'As you Like it' on 3 May 1757. She was speaking the epilogue when she had a paralutic seizure. One of the liveliest of actresses spent the rest of her days an invalid. Margaret Woffington died on 28 March 1760. 'Brief L ives', Burnim & Baskett.