William Thomas Moncrieff
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Moncrieff (August 24, 1794 – December 3, 1857) was an English
dramatist.
, the son of a Strand tradesman named Thomas. The name Moncrieff he assumed for theatrical purposes. Moncrieff's first success was at Astley’s circus with The Dandy Family an equestrian drama, and in 1820 The Lear of Private Life, with Junius Brutus Booth
as hero, enjoyed a long run. He supplied Drury Lane
with a romantic melodrama called The Cataract of the Ganges; or, The Rajah’s Daughter which gave the national theatre an opportunity of displaying upon its stage both real horses and a real waterfall. This work became very popular with performances at provincial theatres throughout England. In 1830, he conceived the operatic drama Van Diemen's Land
, concerning the notorious bush-ranger Michael Howe
. But his most popular production was Tom and Jerry (1821), a dramatization of Life in London
by Pierce Egan
, whose Boxiana Moncrieff had begun to publish in 1818. He managed Vauxhall Gardens
in 1827 and in 1833 leased the City Theatre. Soon afterward his sight failed, and in 1843 he became totally blind. The following year he entered the Charterhouse
in London. Moncrieff's theatrical reminiscences were published in the Sunday Times in 1851. He edited Selections from Dramatic Works (London, 1850), containing 24 of his own plays.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
dramatist.
Biography
He was born in LondonLondon
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 a Strand tradesman named Thomas. The name Moncrieff he assumed for theatrical purposes. Moncrieff's first success was at Astley’s circus with The Dandy Family an equestrian drama, and in 1820 The Lear of Private Life, with Junius Brutus Booth
Junius Brutus Booth
Junius Brutus Booth was an English actor. He was the father of John Wilkes Booth , Edwin Booth , and Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., an actor and theatre manager...
as hero, enjoyed a long run. He supplied 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,...
with a romantic melodrama called The Cataract of the Ganges; or, The Rajah’s Daughter which gave the national theatre an opportunity of displaying upon its stage both real horses and a real waterfall. This work became very popular with performances at provincial theatres throughout England. In 1830, he conceived the operatic drama Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
, concerning the notorious bush-ranger Michael Howe
Michael Howe
Michael Howe was a the leader of a bushranger gang in Van Diemen's Land .Howe was born at Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, son of Thomas Howe and his wife Elizabeth. He served two years on a merchant vessel at Hull before deserting to join the navy as a seaman...
. But his most popular production was Tom and Jerry (1821), a dramatization of Life in London
Tom and Jerry, or Life in London
Tom and Jerry, or Life in London was a stage adaptation by William Moncrieff of Pierce Egan's Life in London, or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom. It ran at the Adelphi Theatre in London between 1821 and 1823 and at several New York theaters beginning in 1823...
by Pierce Egan
Pierce Egan
Pierce Egan was an early British journalist, sportswriter, and writer on popular culture.Egan was born in the London suburbs, where he spent his life. By 1812 he had established himself as the country's leading 'reporter of sporting events', which at the time meant mainly prize-fights and...
, whose Boxiana Moncrieff had begun to publish in 1818. He managed Vauxhall Gardens
Vauxhall Gardens
Vauxhall Gardens was a pleasure garden, one of the leading venues for public entertainment in London, England from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. Originally known as New Spring Gardens, the site was believed to have opened before the Restoration of 1660 with the first mention being...
in 1827 and in 1833 leased the City Theatre. Soon afterward his sight failed, and in 1843 he became totally blind. The following year he entered the Charterhouse
London Charterhouse
The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square. The Charterhouse began as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 and dissolved in 1537...
in London. Moncrieff's theatrical reminiscences were published in the Sunday Times in 1851. He edited Selections from Dramatic Works (London, 1850), containing 24 of his own plays.
Sources
- The New Century Cyclopedia of Names, ed. Clarence L. Barnhart (Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1954). p.2788