Richard Brinsley Peake
Encyclopedia
Richard Brinsley Peake (19 February 1792 – 4 October 1847) was a dramatist
of the early nineteenth century best remembered today for his 1823 play Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, a work based on the novel
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
.
, London
, the son of Richard Peake, who for forty years worked in the Treasury Office of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
in London. He was named after the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan
, who was a friend of his father. From 1809 to 1817 Peake was an apprentice with the engraver James Heath
. On leaving Heath's employ in 1817 Peake began to write for the theatre; his first play was The Bridge that Carries Us Safe Over, produced at the English Opera House in 1817, and which was quickly followed by a farce, Wanted, a Governess.
s, farce
s, comedies, melodramatic and musical romances, and an "operatic romance". His play The Meltonians was described as "a perfectly illegitimate drama and extravaganza." His 1823 play Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, was seen by Mary Shelley
and her father William Godwin
on 29 August 1823 at the English Opera House, shortly after her return to England. Shelley approved of the way the Creature, played by T.P. Cooke, was represented by a series of dashes in the advertising. To capitalise on the success of the play, Godwin arranged for his daughter's novel
Frankenstein
to be reprinted in two volumes with emendations by himself. In the play the character 'Fritz'
was originated by Robert Keeley
.
In about 1825 Peake married Susannah Snell, and they had at least six children together.
. Peake wrote the accompanying text for the picture-book French Characteristic Costumes (1816); a comedic book of Cockney
sports entitled Snobson's 'Seasons (1838); Cartouche, the Celebrated French Robber (1844) in three-volumes; and a two-volume biography of a theatrical family, Memoirs of the Colman Family (1841). His comedy The Title Deeds, produced in June 1847 at the Adelphi Theatre
, was probably his last play. From 1832 until his death Peake was the Treasurer at the Lyceum Theatre in London.
At his death in 1847 his family inherited his numerous debts, and were left in financial distress.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
of the early nineteenth century best remembered today for his 1823 play Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, a work based on the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
.
Early life
Richard Brinsley Peake was born in Gerard Street in SohoSoho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Richard Peake, who for forty years worked in the Treasury Office of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
in London. He was named after the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright and poet and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For thirty-two years he was also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons for Stafford , Westminster and Ilchester...
, who was a friend of his father. From 1809 to 1817 Peake was an apprentice with the engraver James Heath
James Heath (engraver)
James Heath was an English engraver. He enjoyed the patronage of George III and successive monarchs, and was an associate engraver of the Royal Academy.-Life and work:...
. On leaving Heath's employ in 1817 Peake began to write for the theatre; his first play was The Bridge that Carries Us Safe Over, produced at the English Opera House in 1817, and which was quickly followed by a farce, Wanted, a Governess.
Writing career
For the next forty years Peake wrote burlesqueBurlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
s, farce
Farce
In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
s, comedies, melodramatic and musical romances, and an "operatic romance". His play The Meltonians was described as "a perfectly illegitimate drama and extravaganza." His 1823 play Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, was seen by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
and her father William Godwin
William Godwin
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism...
on 29 August 1823 at the English Opera House, shortly after her return to England. Shelley approved of the way the Creature, played by T.P. Cooke, was represented by a series of dashes in the advertising. To capitalise on the success of the play, Godwin arranged for his daughter's novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
to be reprinted in two volumes with emendations by himself. In the play the character 'Fritz'
Fritz (Frankenstein)
Fritz is a fictional character who appears in the 1931 Universal film version of Mary Shelley' novel, Frankenstein. He was played by Dwight Frye...
was originated by Robert Keeley
Robert Keeley (comedian)
Robert Keeley was an actor-manager, comedian and female impersonator of the nineteenth century. In 1823 he originated the role of 'Fritz' in Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, a stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein.-Early life:Robert Keeley was born in London as one of...
.
In about 1825 Peake married Susannah Snell, and they had at least six children together.
Later years
From November 1839 and into the 1840s Peake wrote numerous articles for the periodicals; with a few exceptions all of his articles were published in Bentley's MiscellanyBentley's Miscellany
Bentley's Miscellany was an English literary magazine started by Richard Bentley. It was published between 1836 and 1868.-Contributors:Already a successful publisher of novels, Bentley began the journal in 1836 and invited Charles Dickens to be its first editor...
. Peake wrote the accompanying text for the picture-book French Characteristic Costumes (1816); a comedic book of Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
sports entitled Snobson's 'Seasons (1838); Cartouche, the Celebrated French Robber (1844) in three-volumes; and a two-volume biography of a theatrical family, Memoirs of the Colman Family (1841). His comedy The Title Deeds, produced in June 1847 at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
, was probably his last play. From 1832 until his death Peake was the Treasurer at the Lyceum Theatre in London.
At his death in 1847 his family inherited his numerous debts, and were left in financial distress.
External links
- Richard Brinsley Peake on Lord Byron and His Times
- http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/peake/play/act1.htmlText of Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein University of MarylandUniversity of MarylandWhen the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
website] - http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/peake/apparatus/images.htmlPortraits of the cast of Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein University of MarylandUniversity of MarylandWhen the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
website] - Forry, Steven Earl, The Hideous Progenies of Richard Brinsley Peake: Frankenstein on the Stage, 1823 to 1826 - Theatre Research International (1986)
- http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~hou00740Richard Brinsley Peake compositions: Guide - Harvard College Library, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
] - Full text of Memoirs of the Colman Family (1841) Google Books