Anne Oldfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anne Oldfield
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Portrait of Oldfield, National Portrait Gallery (artist unknown)
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| Born | 1683 London, England
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| Died | 23 October 1730 (aged 47) Grosvenor Street, London, England
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| Burial place | Westminster Abbey |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Partner(s) | Arthur Maynwaring Charles Churchill |
| Children | Arthur Maynwaring Charles Churchill |
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Anne Oldfield (born in 1683, died October 23, 1730) was a famous English actress. She was one of the highest-paid performers of her time.
Contents
Early Life and Her Big Break
Anne Oldfield was born in London in 1683. Her father, James Oldfield, was a soldier. Her mother was named Anne or Elizabeth Blanchard. Anne's family faced money problems when her father died young. He had mortgaged properties left by her grandfather.
Anne and her mother went to live with her aunt, Mrs. Voss. They lived at the Mitre tavern in St James. Anne was a good reader and loved books. In 1699, a famous writer named George Farquhar heard her. She was reciting lines from a play called The Scornful Lady. He was so impressed that he helped her get a job. Soon after, she was hired by Christopher Rich. She joined the acting company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
A Rising Star on Stage
Just one year later, Anne got her first small role. She played Candiope in a play called Secret Love; or, The Maiden Queen. After doing well in this part, she quickly got a lead role. This was in John Fletcher's play The Pilgrim.
In 1703, Anne took over for another actress, Susanna Verbruggen. Anne traveled to Bath to perform for Queen Anne and her court. She quickly became one of the main actresses at Drury Lane.
Colley Cibber, a famous actor and writer, praised Anne's talent. He said she was key to the success of his play The Careless Husband. She played the part of Lady Modish. Later, he said she "outdid her usual Outdoing" as Lady Townly in The Provoked Husband. Anne also played the main role in Epicoene and Celia in Volpone.
Challenges and Successes
There were often rumors of competition among actresses. Anne Oldfield was said to have rivalries with other stars like Anne Bracegirdle. They all wanted the best roles. In 1706, Anne had a disagreement with the Drury Lane theatre managers. She felt they owed her money and benefits they had promised.
Anne left Drury Lane for a short time. She joined another acting company at the Haymarket Theatre. But she soon returned to Drury Lane. She came back with a new contract and a better position. She even became a joint-sharer of the Drury Lane Theatre.
At one point, Anne was offered the chance to manage the theatre. However, people thought her being a woman was a problem. So, she was asked to name her own terms to stay in her acting role. She asked for 200 guineas, which was later raised to 500 guineas. This made Anne Oldfield the highest-paid actress of her time.
Her Personal Life
Around 1700, Anne Oldfield started a long-term relationship with Arthur Maynwaring. He was a politician. Anne was financially independent because of her success. Arthur supported her acting career. He helped her practice new roles and wrote special speeches for her to perform.
Anne continued acting even when she was pregnant with their son, Arthur. This was unusual for actresses back then. She returned to work just three months after her son was born. Arthur Maynwaring passed away in 1712 from a serious illness.
Several years later, Anne began a relationship with Charles Churchill. They lived together for many years and had a son, also named Charles. During this pregnancy, Anne had health problems. She had to stop acting for several months. Her health never fully recovered after this.
Anne suffered from pain during her last acting season. She retired from the stage in April 1730. She passed away a few months later from a serious illness.
Her Legacy
Anne Oldfield died on October 23, 1730, at age 47. She passed away at her home in Grosvenor Street, London. She left her property to her two sons. Anne was buried in Westminster Abbey. Her burial place was near the monument for the writer Congreve. Her partner, Charles Churchill, wanted to put up a monument for her. However, the church leader at Westminster Abbey did not allow it.
The poet Alexander Pope wrote about Anne Oldfield. He said she could "join the arts to ruin and to please." Anne herself once told her maid, "No, let a charming chintz and Brussels lace Wrap my cold limbs and shade my lifeless face; One would not, sure, be frightful when one's dead, And Betty give this cheek a little red." This shows her love for looking good, even at the end of her life.
Key Roles She Played
Anne Oldfield played many important roles during her career. Here are some of them:
- 1699, Candiope – The Maiden Queen by John Dryden
- 1700, Alinda – The Pilgrim by John Fletcher
- 1704, Lady Modish – The Careless Husband by Colley Cibber
- 1706, Silvia – The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar
- 1706, Celia – Volpone by Ben Jonson
- 1707, A Silent Woman – Epiocene by Ben Jonson
- 1709, Mrs Sullen – The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar
- 1713, Marcia – Cato by Joseph Addison
- 1714, Jane Shore – Jane Shore by Nicholas Rowe
- 1722, Indiana – The Conscious Lovers by Richard Steele
- 1728, Lady Townly – The Provoked Husband by Colley Cibber
