The Amorous Widow: or, The Wanton Wife

By Thomas Betterton

Thomas Patrick Betterton was born around 1635 in London.

As can be understood exact records of much of his early life do not exist.

We know he was apprenticed to John Holden, Sir William Davenant's publisher, and later John Rhodes, a bookseller, whose previous career was that of wardrobe-keeper at the Blackfriars Theatre.

In 1659, Rhodes obtained a license to set up a company of players at the Cockpit Theatre in Drury Lane; and when the theatre re-opened the following year Betterton made his first stage appearance.

By all accounts he was talented and was soon performing the leads. In 1661 a new theatre opened in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Davenant, the patentee of the Duke's Company, engaged Betterton and Rhodes's company to perform his ‘The Siege of Rhodes’.

Betterton was by now a public favourite and a royal favourite and keen on improving the presentation of plays and the management of theatres. Charles II sent him to Paris to examine stage improvements. According to Colly Cibber, upon his return to England, Betterton introduced the shifting scenes that replaced the tapestry backgrounds of English theatre.

In 1662 Betterton married the actress Mary Saunderson. She and Betterton played opposite each other in a production of Hamlet’ she played Ophelia, to his Hamlet. She was also his business partner and was influential in bringing order to bear. At this time Actors were often thought of as notorious and indecent, and treated little better than whores. Together the Bettertons were regarded as respectable. They were also invited to teach the children from noble and royal families to perform John Crowne's ‘Calisto’, 1675, in the last Stuart court Masque.

Betterton was taller than average, athletic, with a strong rather melodious voice which was wonderfully dexterious. His repertory included Shakespearian roles, in versions adapted by Davenant, Dryden, Shadwell and Nahum Tate. In them his performances were praised. He played Lear opposite Elizabeth Barry's Cordelia in Tate's modified version of Shakespeare's ‘King Lear’. Betterton was also the author of several popular adaptations.

After Davenant's death in 1668, Betterton was the manager and director of the Duke's Company, and from the merger of London's two theatre companies in 1682, he continued these functions in the new United Company. However, in 1695, as this theatrical monopoly worsened conditions of the actors they all walked out. They set up a co-operative company in Lincoln's Inn Fields under Betterton's leadership.

The first production was the premiere of Congreve's ‘Love for Love’ with Betterton as Valentine and Anne Bracegirdle as Angelica. After several years, audiences dwindled, profits fell and Betterton now older and stricken with gout decided to retire from the stage. At his benefit performance, where he again played Valentine in ‘Love for Love, the profits are said to have been over £500.

Betterton's career behind the stage was almost transformative. He invented new stage machines at Dorset Garden Theatre, transposed ‘The Prophetess’ into an opera, and introduced French singers and dancers to the Restoration stage. He also built the first permanent theatre fully equipped with Italianate machinery. Additionally, he invested in remodeling the tennis court in the Lincoln's Inn Fields and built a new theatre there. His salary was now topped up by a small "rent" fees for each performance played there.

Betterton worked with all of the most significant playwrights of his age and performed with the first generation of English actresses. It is said that Betterton had more than 120 different roles at his command from heroic drama, Jonsonian comedy, comedies of manners, tragicomedies by Beaumont and Fletcher, and tragedies, comedies and histories by Shakespeare.

At the age of seventy-five, he claimed, "He was yet learning to be an actor." The first acting guide published in English was ‘The Life of Mr Tho

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Mar 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781787805002

Book preview

The Amorous Widow by Thomas Betterton

or, the Wanton Wife

A Comedy. As it is perform'd by Her Majesty's Servants.

Thomas Patrick Betterton was born around 1635 in London.

As can be understood exact records of much of his early life do not exist.

We know he was apprenticed to John Holden, Sir William Davenant's publisher, and later John Rhodes, a bookseller, whose previous career was that of wardrobe-keeper at the Blackfriars Theatre.

In 1659, Rhodes obtained a license to set up a company of players at the Cockpit Theatre in Drury Lane; and when the theatre re-opened the following year Betterton made his first stage appearance.

By all accounts he was talented and was soon performing the leads. In 1661 a new theatre opened in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Davenant, the patentee of the Duke's Company, engaged Betterton and Rhodes's company to perform his ‘The Siege of Rhodes’.

Betterton was by now a public favourite and a royal favourite and keen on improving the presentation of plays and the management of theatres.  Charles II sent him to Paris to examine stage improvements. According to Colly Cibber, upon his return to England, Betterton introduced the shifting scenes that replaced the tapestry backgrounds of English theatre.

In 1662 Betterton married the actress Mary Saunderson. She and Betterton played opposite each other in a production of Hamlet’ she played Ophelia, to his Hamlet. She was also his business partner and was influential in bringing order to bear.  At this time Actors were often thought of as notorious and indecent, and treated little better than whores. Together the Bettertons were regarded as respectable. They were also invited to teach the children from noble and royal families to perform John Crowne's ‘Calisto’, 1675, in the last Stuart court Masque.

Betterton was taller than average, athletic, with a strong rather melodious voice which was wonderfully dexterious. His repertory included Shakespearian roles, in versions adapted by Davenant, Dryden, Shadwell and Nahum Tate. In them his performances were praised. He played Lear opposite Elizabeth Barry's Cordelia in Tate's modified version of Shakespeare's ‘King Lear’. Betterton was also the author of several popular adaptations.

After Davenant's death in 1668, Betterton was the manager and director of the Duke's Company, and from the merger of London's two theatre companies in 1682, he continued these functions in the new United Company. However, in 1695, as this theatrical monopoly worsened conditions of the actors they all walked out.  They set up a co-operative company in Lincoln's Inn Fields under Betterton's leadership.

The first production was the premiere of Congreve's ‘Love for Love’ with Betterton as Valentine and Anne Bracegirdle as Angelica. After several years, audiences dwindled, profits fell and Betterton now older and stricken with gout decided to retire from the stage.  At his benefit performance, where he again played Valentine in ‘Love for Love, the profits are said to have been over £500.

Betterton's career behind the stage was almost transformative. He invented new stage machines at Dorset Garden Theatre, transposed ‘The Prophetess’ into an opera, and introduced French singers and dancers to the Restoration stage. He also built the first permanent theatre fully equipped with Italianate machinery. Additionally, he invested in remodeling the tennis court in the Lincoln's Inn Fields and built a new theatre there. His salary was now topped up by a small rent fees for each performance played there.

Betterton worked with all of the most significant playwrights of his age and performed with the first generation of English actresses. It is said that Betterton had more than 120 different roles at his command from heroic drama, Jonsonian comedy, comedies of manners, tragicomedies by Beaumont and Fletcher, and tragedies, comedies and histories by Shakespeare.

At the age of seventy-five, he claimed, He was yet learning to be an actor. The first acting guide published in English was ‘The Life of Mr Thomas Betterton’, a rather odd pastiche from French rhetoric manuals with passages borrowed from English plays.

Three days before his death at seventy-five, he made his last appearance on the stage in 1710, as Melantius in ‘The Maid's Tragedy’.

Thomas Betterton died on April 28th 1710. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Index of Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

THE AMOROUS WIDOW: or, THE WANTON WIFE

ACT I

SCENE: A Room.

ACT II

ACT III

SCENE: A Street before a Glass-Shop.

ACT IV

SCENE Changes to a Chamber

ACT V

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

Sir Peter Pride. A great Boaster of his Honour, his Valour, what a noble Family he is deriv'd from, and of their mighty Courage.

Cuningham. A Gentleman in love with Philadelphia, and is much courted by the Widow.

Lovemore. His Friend, in love with Mr. Brittle's Wife, and endeavours to have an Intrigue with her; but the Widow courts him too.

Barnaby Brittle. An old Citizen that keeps a Glassshop, marry'd to Sir Peter Pride's Daughter.

Jeffrey. Servant to Cuningham, in love with Prudence.

Clodpole. A simple Country Fellow that Lovemore employs in sending Letters to Mrs. Brittle.

Merryman. A Falconer to Cuningham, who takes upon him to represent the Viscount Sans-Terre, that is to marry the Widow.

Lady Laycock. An amorous old Widow, that courts every one she can for Marriage, sancying her self so engaging, that all that see her must love her.

Lady Pride. Wife to Sir Peter, a formal old Lady that boasts much of her Gentility, and of her great Name and Family.

Mrs. Brittle. Their Daughter, Wife to Barnaby Brittle; a Cunning, Intrieguing Coquet, that always over-reaches her Husband.

Philadelphia. Niece to the Widow, in love with Cuningham.

Prudence. Maid to the Widow.

Damaris. Maid to Mrs. Brittle, that assists her in her Intriegues.

THE AMOROUS WIDOW: or, THE WANTON WIFE

ACT I

SCENE: A Room.

Enter PHILADELPHIA with a Letter, follow'd by JEFFREY.

PHILADELPHIA

I Should believe Mr. Cuningham very constant, if I had Faith enough to credit this Letter, Jeffry. What Complaints are here? But 'tis the Stile, that all young Lovers write.

JEFFREY

Pray, Madam, believe me; you know I am a Man of Integrity: I cannot dissemble. Let him write what he pleases, If he did not love you, do you think I'd tell you so?

PHILADELPHIA

When he has Opportunity, I must confess, he says kind things to me.

JEFFREY

Take my Word, Madam, my Master is not like other Men—Unless he loves a Lady, and loves her passionately too, he never troubles himself to compliment her much.

PHILADELPHIA

Never? Yes, Jeffry; sometimes, you know, he compliments my Aunt.

JEFFREY

That's a convincing Proof of his Love to you; you cannot think him reduc'd to the Necessity of making Love to an antiquated Piece, with design to know her otherwise, than to obtain the Happiness of seeing you? But I shall tell him, Madam—

PHILADELPHIA

Tell him I have receiv'd and read his Letter.

JEFFREY

Is that all, Madam?

PHILADELPHIA

All! Yes. Are you not content with