PEG WOFFINGTON (1740-74)

Irish actress whose beauty, vitality and wit made her one of the outstanding theatrical personalities of her time.

She became a street singer to support her mother and sister and made her stage debut at 10 as Polly Peachum in a juvenile production of The Beggar´s Opera in which as Macheath she first played in London in 1732.

Her real career began with her success as Ophelia in in 1737.
By 1740 she was Dublin´s leading actress, and her Sylvia in Farquhar´s Recruiting Officer and Sir Harry Wildair in The Constant Couple -her most famous "breches part"- made her Dublin´s darling.
London audiences were equally enthusiastic when in November 1740 she appeared in the same parts at Covent Garden.
The Woffington could now command theatres, parts and lovers.
And at Drury Lane (1740-46) she gained new fame in parts ranging from Vanbrugh´s Lady Brute and Clarissa to Shakespeare´s Rosalind and Mistress Ford.

In 1742 she acted in Dublin with David Garrick until 1745 the most important man in her life.
But Garrick wanted her to play as leading lady and wife under his direction and Peg could never long adapt herself to his or any other man´s ideal.

At Covent Garden (1747-50) she showed his successful teaching in tragic parts and in Dublin (1750-54) she enjoyed social as well as professional triumph.
The only woman member of the Beefsteak Club she was praised for an "understanding rare in females".

At Covent Garden (1754-57) she revived old parts, created new ones, and made new friends, among the Edmund Burke, thought to have been one of her many lovers.
In this as in much else tradition exaggerates. She can be certainly described as mistress to only four men.

In 1756 illness began to be visible and on May 3, 1757 she collapsed in Rosalind´s epilogue at "I would kiss as many..." after which she retired from the stage.