Memoirs of the Life of Charles Macklin Esq.

Drawing on his own papers and first published in 1799 this two-volume account traces the colourful life of the actor and playwright Charles Macklin (c.16991797). His long career serves as the focal point in a history of the eighteenth-century theatre and its most celebrated performers. Hailed for his enduring interpretation of Shakespeare''s Shylock a role he played for some fifty years Macklin has been credited with the theatre''s move towards realism. His life was just as dramatic offstage marked as it was by a series of controversies and fierce rivalries. In 1735 he was convicted of the manslaughter of a fellow actor in a quarrel over a wig and in 1775 he successfully pressed charges of conspiracy against theatregoers who had rioted during his performances. Volume 1 covers Macklin''s childhood and early career including his trial for the killing of Thomas Hallam.