Robert Hitchcock (dramatist) facts for kids

Robert Hitchcock (died 1809) was a British actor and writer. From 1781, he lived in Dublin with his family, who were also actors. He wrote an important book about the history of theater in Ireland.

Life of Robert Hitchcock

Robert Hitchcock and his wife, Sarah, were actors. In 1769, they joined a theater group at the Theatre Royal, Norwich. Two years later, in 1771, they moved to York. There, they became part of Tate Wilkinson's acting company at the York Theatre Royal.

By 1777, the Hitchcocks were working at the Haymarket Theatre in London. This theater was run by George Colman the Elder. Robert worked as a prompter, which means he helped actors remember their lines during performances. His wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Mary Anne, were both actors there. During the colder winter months, they would still perform in York. Robert Hitchcock was even the inspiration for a prompter character in a play called The Manager in Distress (1780) by George Colman the Elder.

In 1781, the entire Hitchcock family moved to Dublin, Ireland. They began performing at the Smock Alley Theatre. Later, in 1788, the theater owner, Richard Daly, opened a new theater called Crow Street Theatre. This new theater became known as the Theatre Royal, Dublin. The Hitchcock family moved to perform there. Robert continued his role as a prompter. His wife and daughter became very popular actors on the Irish stage.

Robert Hitchcock passed away in 1809 in Dublin. His daughter, Mary Anne, stopped acting when she married a lawyer named Jonas Greene. His son, also named Robert, was an actor when he was young. He later studied law at the University of Dublin and became a lawyer in Ireland.

Works by Robert Hitchcock

Robert Hitchcock wrote several plays and a history book:

• The Macaroni, a comedy (1773): This play was performed in York and once at the Haymarket Theatre.
• The Coquette; or the Mistakes of the Heart; a comedy (1777): This play was shown in York and Hull. Its story was based on a novel by Eliza Haywood called The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless.
• An Historical View of the Irish Stage, from the earliest period down to 1788: This was a two-volume book published in 1788 and 1794. It covered the history of theater in Ireland from its very beginnings up to 1788.