William Macready facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Macready
Macready by John Jackson, National Portrait Gallery
Born	(1793-03-03)3 March 1793 London, England
Died	27 April 1873(1873-04-27) (aged 80) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1810–1851
Spouse(s)	Catherine Frances Atkins (1823–1852; her death) Cecile Louise Frederica Spencer (1860–1873; his death)

William Charles Macready (born March 3, 1793 – died April 27, 1873) was a famous English stage actor. He was known for his powerful performances and for trying to make theatre better.

Becoming an Actor

William Macready was born in London, England. His father, also named William Macready, managed several theatres. Young William went to Rugby School, where he was a top student. He first planned to go to University of Oxford.

However, in 1809, his father faced money problems. This meant William had to help with the family's theatre business. On June 7, 1810, he made his first successful appearance as Romeo in Birmingham. He then played other characters from Shakespeare's plays.

After some time, he moved to Bath in 1814. He stayed there for two years, also visiting other towns to perform.

Rise to Fame in London

On September 16, 1816, Macready performed for the first time in London. He appeared at Covent Garden. He quickly became known for playing characters in romantic plays.

In 1818, he had a big success in Rob Roy, a play based on a book by Walter Scott. He showed his talent for serious roles when he played Richard III in 1819. In 1820, he starred in the play Virginius.

Moving to Drury Lane

Macready later moved to the Drury Lane theatre. His popularity grew even more. A major success was his role as William Tell in 1825.

He also performed in other countries. In 1826, he had a successful tour in the United States. In 1828, he was very well-received in Paris, France. He played Othello in 1829. Some of his other famous roles included Werner, Antony, and King Lear.

Changing Shakespeare's Plays

Macready was important for bringing back Shakespeare's original play King Lear. For over 150 years, people had been performing a changed version with a happy ending. In 1834 and 1838, Macready made sure the play was performed closer to Shakespeare's original words.

Managing Theatres

Macready also managed two major London theatres: Covent Garden (starting in 1837) and Drury Lane (from 1841 to 1843). He wanted to improve the quality of plays and encourage new English writers.

He helped stage plays by famous writers like Robert Browning and Edward Bulwer-Lytton. These included Strafford, Lady of Lyons, and Richelieu. He also put on a memorable performance of Henry V in 1838. Many of his friends, including the famous writer Dickens, helped with this show.

Charles Dickens admired Macready greatly. He once wrote to him, expressing his deep respect and friendship.

Challenges and Retirement

Macready had great ideas for improving theatre. However, he found it hard to get enough public support for his plans. In 1843, he staged Cymbeline.

He toured the United States again in 1843–44. But his last visit in 1849 was difficult. There was a large public disturbance called the Astor Place Riot during a time when he and another actor were both performing Macbeth. This event led to many injuries and some deaths.

Macready gave his final performance as Macbeth at Drury Lane on February 26, 1851. After that, he retired and lived a quiet life. He passed away in Cheltenham on April 27, 1873.

Family Life

William Macready was married twice. His first wife was Catherine Frances Atkins, whom he married in 1823. They had many children, but only one son and one daughter lived to adulthood.

In 1860, when he was 67, he married Cecile Louise Frederica Spencer, who was 23. They had a son named Cecil Frederick Nevil Macready, who later became a General in the British Army. William Macready's other son, Major Edward Nevil Macready, also served in the British Army and fought in the Battle of Waterloo.

His daughter, Catherine Frances Macready, was a poet. She dedicated her book of poems, Leaves From the Olive Mount, to her father.

William Macready was buried in the catacomb at Kensal Green Cemetery.

What People Thought of Him

People thought Macready was a very thoughtful actor. He studied his roles deeply. He was known for his ability to show sadness and kindness, especially in plays like King Lear. Even though he didn't have a perfect actor's body or face, his strong voice and acting skills helped him succeed.

In 1927, a special plaque was placed at his home in Cheltenham. It remembers his time living there from 1860 to 1873.

An actor named Frank Barrie wrote and performed a play about Macready called Macready!. It was first performed in 1979 and shown in many countries. A TV version of the play was also made in 1983.

Selected Roles

Images for kids

• 

  Macready playing 'Macbeth'

See also

In Spanish: William Macready para niños

• Macready Theatre – a theatre in Rugby named after William Macready