John O'Keeffe (writer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John O'Keeffe
Portrait of John O'Keefe by either Thomas or William Lawranson, 1782
Born	(1747-06-24)24 June 1747 Dublin, Ireland
Died	4 February 1833(1833-02-04) (aged 85) Southampton, Hampshire, England
Spouse(s)	Mary Heaphy

John O'Keeffe (born June 24, 1747 – died February 4, 1833) was a super talented Irish actor and playwright. He wrote many different kinds of plays. These included hilarious comedies called farces, exciting dramatic stories, and even songs for operas (musical plays). Lots of his plays were big hits! Some of his most famous works are Tony Lumpkin in Town, Love in a Camp, Omai, and Wild Oats.

John O'Keeffe's Early Life and Theatre Dreams

John O'Keeffe was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1747. His family was Roman Catholic, and he went to school with the Jesuits. John first showed a skill for drawing and studied art in Dublin.

However, he soon became much more interested in the theatre. He spent two years in London. There, he admired the famous actor David Garrick. John decided he wanted to be an actor and a writer for the stage.

When he was just twenty years old, he wrote his first play, The She Gallant. It was performed in Dublin at the Smock Alley Theatre. John later married Mary Heaphy, who was also an actress. They had children together.

Moving to London and Becoming a Hit Playwright

In 1777, O'Keeffe moved to London. The next year, he wrote Tony Lumpkin in Town. This play was a follow-up to another famous story. He sent it to the manager of the Haymarket Theatre. It was a huge success!

After that, O'Keeffe regularly wrote plays for the Haymarket. Between 1782 and 1796, John O'Keeffe wrote about 28 plays. He also wrote songs for comic operas. These are funny plays with music.

One of his comic operas was The Poor Soldier (1783). It was about British soldiers coming home after the American War of Independence. He also wrote other popular works like The Son-in-Law, Agreeable Surprise, and The Castle of Andalusia.

Overcoming Challenges and Writing Success

John O'Keeffe faced a big challenge in his life. He started losing his eyesight. This problem began in the mid-1770s. By 1781, he couldn't write his plays down himself. He had to tell them to someone else, who would write them for him.

Even with this difficulty, he was an incredibly productive writer. He wrote more plays than almost anyone else in London during the late 1700s. He was the most-produced playwright of his time.

O'Keeffe also added many Irish folk songs to the music in his operas. Some of these songs are still well-known today. Examples include I am a Friar of Orders Grey and The Thorn. From 1788, his daughter, Adelaide O'Keeffe, helped him. She wrote down his words. She later became a popular writer herself, especially for children.

Later Life and Lasting Impact on Theatre

In 1800, a special show was put on for O'Keeffe at Covent Garden. This show helped him financially. In 1826, he wrote his memoirs. These are like a life story. He told these stories to his daughter Adelaide, who helped publish them. In the same year, King George IV gave him a special payment called a pension.

John O'Keeffe passed away in 1833 in Southampton, England. He was buried there. After his death, his daughter Adelaide wrote her own memoir about him.

John O'Keeffe left a lasting mark on theatre. The writer William Hazlitt once called him the "English Molière". Molière was a famous French playwright known for his funny characters. O'Keeffe's play Wild Oats has been brought back to the stage many times. Famous theatre companies still perform it today. This shows that his work is still enjoyed by audiences.

Selected Works

• The Dutchman Outwitted (1767)
• The She Gallent (1767)
• The Giant's Causeway (1770)
• The Shamrock (1777)
• Tony Lumpkin in Town (1778)
• The Son-in-Law (1779)
• The Banditti (1781)
• The Agreeable Surprise (1781)
• The Castle of Andalusia (1782)
• Harlequin Teague (1782)
• The Lord Mayor's Day (1782)
• The Dead Alive (1783)
• The Poor Soldier (1783)
• The Young Quaker (1784)
• Peeping Tom (1784)
• Omai (1785)
• The Blacksmith of Antwerp (1785)
• Love in a Camp (1786)
• The Siege of Curzola (1786)
• The Farmer (1787)
• Wild Oats (1791)
• The Wicklow Mountains (1795)