Maria Rebecca Davison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Rebecca Davison
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| Born | 1780 |
| Died | 1858 (aged 77–78) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Known for | Juliana in the "Honeymoon" |
| Spouse(s) | James Davison |
Maria Rebecca Davison (born around 1780, died 1858) was a famous British stage actress. Before she got married, people knew her as Miss Duncan. She was a main performer at important London theaters like Covent Garden, the Haymarket Theatre, and especially Drury Lane.
About Maria Rebecca Davison
Maria Rebecca Davison was taller than most people. She had dark hair and very expressive facial features. She also had a beautiful voice and knew a lot about music. She sang with great feeling, especially Scottish songs like John Anderson and Roy's Wife.
She even showed she could be an opera singer. This happened when she played Marchioness Mérida in The Travellers in 1823. People said she was the best at playing characters like Lady Teazle, Lady Townly, and Beatrice. She was especially famous for her role as Juliana in the play The Honeymoon.
Many famous writers praised her acting. Leigh Hunt called her "the best lady our comic stage possesses." He admired her ability to connect with the audience. Another writer, Talfourd, said her role as Mrs. Sullen in The Beaux' Stratagem was "by far her best character."
Her Early Life
Maria Rebecca Duncan was born to parents who were also actors. They worked in Liverpool, which is likely where she was born. As a child, she often played magical creatures like hobgoblins, fairies, and cupids. She performed in cities like Dublin, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
Her first known performance was around 1794 or 1795. She played the Duke of York in a play where George Frederick Cooke was Richard III. She also played Rosella in Love in a Village and Polly in The Woodman. A famous actress named Miss Farren noticed her talent in The Woodman. She believed Maria had a similar acting gift to her own.
Her Acting Career
Maria's first regular job was with Tate Wilkinson's acting company in York. She joined them around the end of the 1700s. Her first roles there were Sophia in Road to Ruin and Gillim in The Quaker. As she became more popular, she performed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Liverpool.
In 1804, she was hired by Wroughton for Drury Lane in London. She first appeared there on October 8, 1804. She was introduced as Miss Duncan from Edinburgh. Her first role was Lady Teazle. She then played Rosalind in As You Like It and Lady Townly. During her first season, she played many other main characters. These included Miss Hardcastle, Lydia Languish, and Letitia Hardy.
On January 31, 1805, she first played Juliana in The Honeymoon. This became her most famous role. She stayed with the Drury Lane company for 14 years. During this time, they also performed at the Lyceum Theatre. Another famous actress, Mrs. Jordan, was also there, which was a challenge for a while. However, audiences loved Miss Duncan in many roles. These included Nell in The Devil to Pay and Peggy in The Country Girl.
On October 31, 1812, she married James Davison. A few days later, on November 5, 1812, she performed as Mrs. Davison (formerly Miss Duncan). She played Belinda in All in the Wrong.
On September 8, 1819, she first performed at Covent Garden. She played Lady Teazle. The next year, she returned to Drury Lane for one night. She played Julia in The Rivals. In 1821, she played Lady Teazle again at Covent Garden for her special performance.
In 1825, Mrs. Davison performed at the Haymarket Theatre. She took on many main roles there. Later that year, she went back to Drury Lane. She played characters like Villetta in She Would and She Would Not.
In the 1827-1828 season, she was still at Drury Lane. She started playing older characters. Her last known performance at Drury Lane was on June 13, 1829. She played Mrs. Subtle in Paul Pry. After this, she might have performed at other theaters.
Maria Rebecca Davison lived quietly for many years after retiring. She was highly respected. She passed away in Brompton on May 30, 1858. This was about ten weeks after her husband died.
Selected Roles
Here are some of the important roles Maria Rebecca Davison played:
- Juliana in The Honeymoon by John Tobin (1805)
- Florence in The Curfew by John Tobin (1807)
- Lady Morden in Where to Find a Friend by Richard Leigh (1811)
- Miss Beaufort in Ourselves by Marianne Chambers (1811)
- Lady Wellgrove in The Faro Table by John Tobin (1816)
- Lady Ratcliffe in Forget and Forgive by James Kenney (1827)
