Richard Tarlton facts for kids
Richard Tarlton (died September 1588) was a very famous English actor during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known as the best clown of his time. People loved his funny, rhyming poems that he made up on the spot, which were even called "Tarltons."
Richard Tarlton helped make English theater popular for everyone. He made way for famous writers like William Shakespeare. After he died, many funny stories and tricks were said to be his, and they were published in a book called Tarlton's Jests.
Tarlton was also a great dancer, musician, and even a fencer. He wrote many short, lively plays called "jigs," as well as other writings and at least one full play.
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Richard Tarlton's Early Life
We don't know much about Richard Tarlton's family. His father's first name is unknown, and his mother's first name was Katherine. He had a sister named Helen.
No one is sure where he was born. Some say he was born in a place called Condover in Shropshire, where his father was a pig farmer. Later, his family might have moved to Ilford in Essex.
His Amazing Career
People say that Richard Tarlton started working in London as an apprentice (someone learning a trade), or maybe even as a pig farmer or water-carrier. It's possible he did all these jobs! By 1583, he was already a skilled actor. He became one of the first members of a famous acting group called the Queen's Men.
Tarlton had a huge impact on clowns in his time. An old saying about him goes: "he of clowns to learn still sought / But now they learn of him they taught." This means he learned from other clowns, but then they learned from him! He was the first to study how real, simple people acted to make his characters more believable.
His acting style mixed different types of performers from the past. He could even quiet down noisy audience members with a clever rhyme. After a play, he would often stay and have a fun "battle of wits" with the audience. He worked with the Queen Elizabeth's Men at the Curtain Theatre when they first started in 1583. A book from 1600 called Tarlton's Jests says that when Tarlton retired, he suggested Robert Armin take his place.
Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Clown
Richard Tarlton was Queen Elizabeth's favorite clown. He was very good at making up funny rhymes on the spot about things the audience suggested. These improvised rhymes became so famous that for a while, people called them "Tarltons."
Because he was so popular, many songs and jokes were said to be his, even if they weren't. After he died, the book Tarlton's Jests was published. It contained many jokes, some of which were actually older than he was. Other books and songs also used his name in their titles. Some people think that when Shakespeare wrote about a clown named Yorick in his play Hamlet, he might have been thinking of Tarlton.
Other Talents
Besides acting, Tarlton was also a master at fencing. He wrote at least one play called The Seven Deadly Sins in 1585. This play was very popular back then, but sadly, no copies of it still exist today.
Tarlton also wrote several short books called pamphlets starting in the 1570s. One of them was A True report of this earthquake in London (1580). These writings were truly his, even though many other works were wrongly said to be his after he died. His fame grew over the years and was so great that it went beyond what people usually thought of actors, who were sometimes seen as not very important.
Richard Tarlton lived in Hanwell. Some say he is buried on the grounds of Drayton Manor House, where he and his family lived. Today, a school named Drayton Manor High School is part of that building.
Tarlton made his last will on September 3, 1588. In it, he asked his mother, Katherine Tarlton, and his friends Robert Adams and William Johnson, to take care of his son, Philip Tarlton.
What He Left Behind
Richard Tarlton left a lasting mark on history. He is still studied in universities around the world today. There were even pubs (restaurants) across England named after him!
See also
In Spanish: Richard Tarlton para niños
