Charles Farley facts for kids
Charles Farley (born in 1771, died in 1859) was an English actor and a writer of plays. He was known for his exciting performances and for creating amazing special effects in theatre shows.
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Charles Farley's Acting Career
Charles Farley was born in London and started acting when he was very young. His first time on stage was in 1782 at the Covent Garden Theatre in London, where he played a small role as a page.
He became well-known for his parts in serious plays, like Osric in Hamlet and Trip in The School for Scandal. However, he was even more famous for acting in exciting, dramatic plays called melodramas. He was also a fantastic stage manager, meaning he was great at organizing shows behind the scenes.
Working with Joseph Grimaldi
Farley was the teacher of Joseph Grimaldi, who became a very famous clown. They even starred together in a show called Valentine and Orson in 1806, with Farley playing Valentine. He also helped write Harlequin and Mother Goose, a show that helped Grimaldi become a huge star.
Behind the Scenes
From 1806 to 1834, many of the successful pantomime shows at Covent Garden Theatre were thanks to Farley's clever ideas and careful planning. He was an expert at theatre machinery and special effects, and he came up with many of the cool tricks and events used in the plays and pantomimes. His acting style was older and more dramatic, using lots of hand movements, which audiences at the time really enjoyed.
Farley stopped acting in 1834. He passed away at his home in London on January 28, 1859.
Famous Roles
Some of Charles Farley's most notable acting roles included:
- Sanguinback in Cherry and Fair Star
- Grindoff in The Miller and his Men (a play with lovely music by Sir H. R. Bishop)
- Robinson Crusoe
- Timour the Tartar
He also played funny characters, like Jeremy in Love for Love and Lord Trinket in The Jealous Wife.
Plays He Wrote
Charles Farley wrote many plays himself, though most of them were not printed. Some of his well-known works include:
- Raymond and Agnes, or the Castle of Lindenburgh (1797)
- The Magic Oak, a Christmas Pantomime (1799)
- Red Roy, or Oswyn and Helen (1803)
- Aggression, or the Heroine of Yucatan (1805)
- Harlequin and Mother Shipton. Arranged and produced by Mr. Farley (1826)
- Henry IV, Part II. Arranged by Mr. Farley, with four additional scenes representing the Coronation in the Abbey (1821)
