Maria Theresa Kemble facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Theresa Kemble
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Maria Theresa Kemble as The Good Shepherd in a painting by Samuel De Wilde
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| Born | 17 January 1774 |
| Died | 3 September 1838 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | dancer, singer and actor |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Kemble |
Maria Theresa Kemble (1774–1838), whose birth name was Marie Thérèse Du Camp, was a talented actress, singer, and dancer. She was born in Austria but became famous on the English stage. She also wrote funny plays. Maria Theresa was married to the well-known actor Charles Kemble.
Early Life and First Roles
Maria Theresa was born in Vienna on January 17, 1774. Her parents, Jeanne Dufour and George De Camp, were also performers. When she was just six years old, she came to England. She appeared as Cupid in a ballet by Jean-Georges Noverre at the Opera House. At this time, she didn't speak any English, but she taught herself the language.
Two years later, she performed in a play called La Colombe. After performing at the Royal Circus, she joined George Colman the Elder's Haymarket Theatre. She appeared in a play called The Nosegay in 1786, performing for the royal family. She also danced in The Polonaise and a ballet called Jamie's Return.
Later, she joined the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. There, she played a small part as Julie in Richard Cœur de Lion. Her father had left her in England and later passed away. Maria Theresa continued to learn English and played many young or small roles on stage.
Becoming a Star
By 1792, Maria Theresa was a leading actress. She played Macheath, a male character, in Beggar's Opera at the Haymarket. This was a "breeches part," meaning she wore men's clothing on stage. She also appeared in many other popular plays like Miss in her Teens and The Recruiting Officer.
She was the first actress to play Lindamira in Box Lobby Challenge by Richard Cumberland. She even filled in for famous singers like Nancy Storace. In 1796, she played Patie in The Good Shepherd at Drury Lane. The artist Samuel De Wilde painted her in this role, and the painting is now in the Garrick Club.
In 1797, she created the role of Caroline Dormer in The Heir at Law. She also played important Shakespearean characters like Portia and Desdemona. She played Katherine in Katherine and Petruchio and Hippolito in a version of The Tempest.
Maria Theresa also wrote her own play called First Faults. It was performed at Drury Lane in 1799. She played many other roles, including Lady Teazle and Dollalolla, before she married Charles Kemble on July 2, 1806.
Life as a Kemble
After her marriage, Maria Theresa joined her husband at the Covent Garden theatre. Her first performance there was on October 1, 1806, as Maria in The Citizen. She stayed at Covent Garden for the rest of her acting career.
She wrote another comedy called The Day after the Wedding, or a Wife's First Lesson, which was performed in 1808. She also helped her husband with a play called Deaf and Dumb. Some of her famous roles during this time included Ophelia, Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing, and Mrs. Ford.
Maria Theresa took a break from acting for a few years. She returned in 1815, appearing in her own comedy, Smiles and Tears, or the Widow's Stratagem.
Later Years and Family
Maria Theresa stopped performing regularly in 1819. However, she made one special return to the stage in 1829. This was for the first performance of her daughter, Fanny Kemble, who was making her debut as Juliet. Maria Theresa played Lady Capulet in that show.
Maria Theresa Kemble passed away in Chertsey, Surrey, on September 3, 1838.
Maria Theresa and Charles Kemble had several talented children. Their daughters, Fanny Kemble and Adelaide Kemble, both became well-known performers. Their son, John Mitchell Kemble, became a famous scholar who studied ancient languages.
Maria Theresa also had a brother, Vincent De Camp, who was an actor. Her sister, Adelaide, was also an actress and was very popular in Newcastle upon Tyne.
