Frederick Pilon facts for kids
Frederick Pilon (born 1750, died 1788) was an Irish actor and playwright. He was known for writing many plays, especially comedies and farces, that were popular in London theatres during his time.
Pilon's Life Story
Frederick Pilon was born in Cork, Ireland. He went to school there and later studied medicine at Edinburgh University in Scotland.
While in Edinburgh, Pilon discovered his love for acting. He performed at the Edinburgh Theatre in a play called Oroonoko. After that, he joined a small acting group and traveled with them for several years.
Later, Pilon moved to London. He first worked for a bookseller named William Griffin, helping with a newspaper called The Morning Post. After Griffin passed away, Pilon did various writing jobs. Soon, he started writing plays for the theatre.
Pilon often worked at the famous Covent Garden Theatre. He later moved to the Drury Lane Theatre, another well-known London stage. He had a disagreement there with a composer named Thomas Carter about payment for music for his play Fair American. Carter took him to court, and Pilon tried to avoid the situation.
Frederick Pilon passed away in Lambeth, London, on January 17, 1788.
Pilon's Plays and Writings
Frederick Pilon wrote many plays, most of which were popular for a short time. He was known for writing comedies and farces, which are funny plays. Here are some of his works:
- The Invasion, or a Trip to Brighthelmstone: This was a funny play (a farce) performed at Covent Garden Theatre in 1778. It was very popular and was shown many times. It made fun of the fear of invasion that people had at the time.
- The Liverpool Prize: This play was performed in 1779.
- Illumination, or the Glazier's Conspiracy: A short play performed in 1779. It was inspired by the celebrations when a famous admiral, Admiral Keppel, was found innocent in a trial.
- The Device, or the Deaf Doctor: This play wasn't popular at first in 1779. But when it was changed and renamed The Deaf Lover in 1780, it became quite successful.
- The Touchstone: A pantomime (a type of musical play with comedy and dance) from 1779.
- The Siege of Gibraltar: This musical farce from 1780 celebrated a big naval victory by Admiral Rodney during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
- The Humours of an Election: A funny play (farce) from 1780 that made fun of how elections were sometimes unfair.
- Thelyphthora, or more Wives than One: This farce from 1781 made fun of a book that suggested men could have more than one wife. It was taken off stage after only two nights.
- The Fair American: A comic opera (a funny play with singing) that Pilon put on at Drury Lane in 1782. He had copied parts of it from an older play.
- Aerostation, or the Templar's Stratagem: This play from 1784 was about the new craze for hot air balloons.
- Barataria, or Sancho turned Governor: A very funny play (pure farce) from 1785.
- He would be a Soldier: This comedy was first turned down by another theatre manager. But when it was performed at Covent Garden in 1786, it was a big hit.
Pilon also adapted a famous play by William Shakespeare called All's Well That Ends Well. His version was shorter and focused on the funny character of Parolles. It was performed in 1785 at the Haymarket Theatre.
In 1785, Pilon helped publish an updated version of a popular one-man show called Essay on Heads. This show involved an actor using different masks and wigs to play many characters. Pilon wrote a special introduction for this edition and his own essay about satire (making fun of things to show their flaws). He also adapted another play for a performance in Cork in 1780.
Pilon also published two other works:
- The Drama: A poem published anonymously (without his name) in 1775.
- An Essay on the Character of Hamlet as performed by Mr. Henderson: An essay from 1777 about the famous actor John Henderson and his performance as Hamlet.
Pilon's Family Life
In 1787, Frederick Pilon married a woman named Miss Drury from Kingston, Surrey.
