Arabella Menage facts for kids
Arabella Menage (born July 5, 1782 – died January 9, 1817) was a talented British actress and ballet dancer. She was also known as Mrs. Sharp after she married the artist Michael William Sharp.
Early Life and Training
Arabella, often called 'Bella', was born in London in 1782. She came from a family of dancers. Her father, Anthony Menage, was a chorus dancer at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Her mother was Arabella Moore. Bella was baptized at St Anne's church in Soho, London, soon after her birth.
Her family was full of performers. Her brother, Frederick Menage, also danced at Drury Lane. He became famous for playing a Chimpanzee in a pantomime called Perouse, or the Desolate Island in 1801.
Bella started performing when she was very young. She was trained by famous dancers like Charles Didelot and James Harvey D'Egville. D'Egville especially helped her become very skilled at the hornpipe, a lively dance.
A Star on Stage
Bella's dancing career began when she was just 10 years old. In 1792, she appeared as Juliana in a play called The Prisoner at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She was called Miss Menage Junior to tell her apart from her mother and older sister, Mary, who were also dancers.
She often performed with her family. For example, on December 27, 1792, she danced with her father, brother, and sister in Garrick's pantomime Harlequin's Invasion. She also played a young page in a comedy called Love Makes a Man. In 1796, she danced the role of Aladdin in an opera.
By 1798, Arabella Menage was a regular performer at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She danced in many shows, including Bluebeard and Feudal Times. She even filled in for a famous actress, Dorothea Jordan, for one night in 1799. Her salary grew as she became more popular, going from 13 shillings a week to £2.
She continued to take on many roles. In 1800, she played Columbine in the pantomime Harlequin's Amulet. In 1801, her performance as Spoliata in the pantomime The Corsair was so good that people said the whole show's success was thanks to her amazing hornpipe dance.
Her salary kept increasing, showing how valuable she was. By 1811, she was earning £5 a week. She also performed in plays based on Shakespeare's works, like The Enchanted Island, which was an adaptation of The Tempest.
Marriage and Later Life
In 1808, a writer named Thomas Gilliland described Arabella as an "excellent dancer" and a "pretty little woman" with a graceful figure.
On August 11, 1804, Arabella married Michael William Sharp at St James's Church in Piccadilly. Michael Sharp was a successful portrait painter. After her marriage, Arabella continued her stage career as Mrs. Sharp until at least 1812.
Arabella Menage Sharp passed away in January 1817 at her home in London. She was 34 years old. She was buried at the church of St George's, Hanover Square.
See Also
- Michael William Sharp
Images for kids
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Arabella Menage
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Arabella Menage with one of her sons in 1811
