Exit the Actress
By: Priya Parmar1. Gwyn, Nell, 1650–1687—Fiction. 2. Charles II, King of England, 1630–1685—Fiction. 3. Mistresses—Great Britain—Fiction 4. Actresses—Great Britain—Fiction. 5. Great Britain—Kings and rulers—Paramours—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3616. A757 E95 2011
813’.6—dc22
2009048703
ISBN 978-1-4391-7117-2
ISBN 978-1-4391-7118-9 (ebook)
for my mother and father
from nora who left for plumbean’s house
to see the moon with you
Exit the Actress
By Most Particular Desire
THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN
Audiences Brilliant and Overflowing
Are Invited to Attend the Premiere of
EXIT THE ACTRESS
This Present Wednesday, May 1, 1662
will be repeated tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday next
PRESENTED BY MR. THOMAS KILLIGREW,
LEASEE AND ROYAL PATENT HOLDER
With: the cast as listed below
Gwyn Family
Mrs.* Eleanor Gwyn (Ellen/Nell/Nelly)—an orange girl turned actress at the King’s Theatre
Mrs. Rose Cassels (née Gwyn)—Ellen’s older sister
Mrs. Eleanor Gwyn (Nora)—Ellen and Rose’s mother; a serving woman at the Rose Tavern
Captain Thomas Gwyn**—Nora’s husband; an officer in the Royal Army
Dr. Edward Gwyn (Grandfather)—Captain Gwyn’s father; a canon of Christ Church, Oxford
Mrs. Margaret Gwyn*** (Great-Aunt Margaret)—Dr. Gwyn’s sister; living in Oxford
Theatre
Mr. Theophilus Bird (Theo)—Actor at the King’s Theatre
Mr. Nicholas Burt (Nick)—Actor at the King’s Theatre
Mr. William Davenant—Manager of the Duke’s Theatre
Mrs. Moll Davis—Actress at the Duke’s Theatre; mistress to King Charles II
Mr. John Dryden—Playwright; Poet Laureate
Sir George Etheredge—Wit; playwright
Mr. Charles Hart—Actor; major shareholder of the King’s Theatre
Mrs. Margaret Hughes (Peg)—Actress at the King’s Theatre and possibly the first woman to act upon the London stage
Mr. Harry Killigrew—Groom of the Bedchamber; Wit; son of Thomas Killigrew
Mr. Thomas Killigrew—Patent holder; manager and major shareholder of the King’s Theatre; former Groom of the Bedchamber
Mrs. Elizabeth Knep (Lizzie)—Actress; mistress of diarist Samuel Peyps
Mr. Edward Kynaston (Teddy)—Former cross-dressing star; Wit; well-loved actor
Mr. John Lacy—Actor, choreographer at the King’s Theatre
Mrs. Rebecca Marshall (Becka)—Actress at the King’s Theatre
Mrs. Mary Megs (Orange Moll)—Orange seller at the King’s Theatre; employs the orange girls
Royal Families of England and France
King Charles I**—King of England; executed in 1649
Queen Henrietta Maria—His queen; daughter of King Henri IV of France; aunt to King Louis XIV of France
King Charles II—Son of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria and cousin to King Louis XIV of France; restored to the throne in 1660
Queen Catherine of Braganza—Wife to King Charles II; former Portuguese Infanta
King Louis XIV—King of France; first cousin to King Charles II
James, Duke of Monmouth (Jemmy)—Illegitimate first-born son of King Charles II and Lucy Walker
Henry, Duke of Gloucester**—Brother of King Charles II; died of the sweat in 1660
James, Duke of York—Younger brother of King Charles II
Anne, Duchess of York—His wife, daughter to the Earl of Clarendon
Henriette-Anne (Minette)—Youngest child of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria; the Madame of France; Duchesse d’Orléans; married to Philippe, Duc d’Orléans
Philippe Charles d’Orléans—Brother of King Louis XIV; the Monsieur of France; Duc d’Orléans, husband of Minette
Royal Court of England
Sir Henry Bennet—Lord Arlington; Secretary of State
Earl of Clarendon—Chancellor, Privy Councillor, father of Anne, Duchess of York
Lady Barbara Palmer (née Villiers)—Countess of Castlemaine; Duchess of
Cleveland; mistress to King Charles II, mother of their five children
Lord Buckhurst (Charles Sackville)—Earl of Dorset and Middlesex; Wit, poet
Sir Charles Sedley—Wit, poet
George Villiers—Duke of Buckingham; Wit; Privy Councillor; childhood friend of King Charles II, cousin of Barbara Castlemaine
Lord John Wilmot (Johnny)—Earl of Rochester; Wit; poet
To Be Performed by:
THE KING’S COMPANY (ESTABLISHED 1660)
PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 3 O’CLOCK DAILY
PROLOGUE
SPOKEN BY THE ACTRESS
MRS. NELLY GWYN
upon her Farewell Performance
THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE, LONDON
Prompt Copy
TAKEN BY STAGE MANAGER BOOTH
March 1, 1670
Mrs. Nelly Gwyn: (Whispering in the wing, hands folded, eyes closed.) Take a breath. Count three. Curtain up. Now.
(Curtain rises. Enter the Actress stage left.)
Mrs. Nelly Gwyn: Here I am. Back by request: for one night only, at his behest. (Deep court curtsey to KING CHARLES II, seated in the royal box.) What a lark and what a loss that such things are no longer fit for one such as me. How impossible is my unlikely luck: For here we are for one last night, to whirl like a dervish, and dance in delight, to look round and round at the faces bright, brightened still by candlelight. And then the curtain will fall and the thing will be done.