Jane Scott (theatre manager) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Scott
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Sketch of a scene from Jane Scott's 1816 melodrama, The Old Oak Chest
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| Born | bap. 1779 |
| Died | 6 December 1839 Walton-on-Thames, Surrey |
| Resting place | St Mary with St John, Upper Edmonton |
| Occupation | theatre manager; performer; dramatist |
| Language | English |
| Years active | 1806—1819 |
| Notable work | The Old Oak Chest (1816) |
| Spouse | John Davies Middleton (1790–1867) |
| Relatives | John Scott (father; 1752–1838); Elizabeth Scott (mother; 1750–1829) |
 Literature portal |
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Jane Marie Scott (1779–1839) was a talented British woman. She managed a theatre, performed on stage, and wrote many plays.
Contents
Building a Theatre Empire
Jane Scott was a singing teacher. Her father, John Scott, was a manufacturer. Together, they decided to open a new theatre in London.
The Sans Pareil Theatre
Her father built the theatre. It was called the Sans Pareil Theatre. This name means "without equal" in French. Jane wrote all the speeches, songs, and other fun acts for its grand opening. The theatre first opened its doors on November 17, 1806.
Jane's Performances and Plays
Jane Scott also performed her own music on stage. She and her father soon gathered a group of actors. By 1809, their theatre was officially allowed to put on many types of shows. These included musical acts, silent plays called pantomimes, and funny short operas known as burlettas.
Jane Scott wrote over fifty different stage plays. Her works included exciting melodramas, funny farces, and short comic operettas. She also wrote historical plays and adapted other stories for the stage. Many of her plays have not survived today. This is because they were often not printed. They were mostly for live performances.
Changing the Theatre World
The Sans Pareil Theatre was very important. It helped change how theatres worked in London.
Freedom in Theatre
At that time, only a few big theatres had special licenses. These licenses gave them a monopoly, meaning they were the only ones allowed to put on certain types of plays. The Sans Pareil Theatre helped create "free" theatre. This meant more places could put on shows.
Understanding the Audience
One expert, Jacky Bratton, praised Jane Scott's role. She said Jane really understood what new audiences wanted. Jane was great at managing her theatre. She provided exciting shows that people loved to watch. Her work helped shape a new world of entertainment for everyone.
Later Life
Jane Scott retired from theatre in 1819. She then married John Davies Middleton. She lived in Surrey, a county in England, for the rest of her life. Jane Scott passed away on December 6, 1839. She was 59 or 60 years old.
Resources
- The Adelphi Theatre: The 1806–1807 Season
- Bratton, Jacky. "Scott, Jane Margaret (bap. 1779, d. 1839)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- Burroughs, Catherine, Ed. Women in British Romantic Theatre: Drama, Performance, and Society, 1790-1840. Cambridge UP, 2000.
- Crochunis, Thomas & Michael Eberle-Sinatra (2003) "Putting plays (and more) in cyberspace : an overview of the British women playwrights around 1800 project." European Romantic Review, 14:1 (2003): 117-131, DOI: 10.1080/10509580303680
- Scott, Jane. "The Old Oak Chest" (1816). In Sisters of Gore: Seven Gothic Melodramas by British Women, 1790-1843. Edited by John C. Franceschina (1997; rpt. Routledge, 2014.)
