Anthony Turner
Encyclopedia
Anthony Turner was a noted English actor in the Caroline era
. For most of his career he worked with Queen Henrietta's Men
, one of the leading theatre companies
of the time.
Nothing is known of Turner's early life or the start of his career; by 1622 he was already a leading player with the Lady Elizabeth's Men
. In 1625, Christopher Beeston
formed a new company under the patronage of the new queen, Henrietta Maria
; some members of the Lady Elizabeth's troupe, including Turner, joined the organization. Turner was a consistent presence in the known casts of the Queen Henrietta's company; he played —
Turner tended to play older men, like Justice Landby and Old Lord Bruce; yet he also took the role of a kitchen maid in Part 1 of Fair Maid — one of the few cases in which a mature actor, rather than a boy player
or young adult actor, is known to have played a female character.
During the difficult years of the bubonic plague
epidemic of 1636–37, Queen Henrietta's Men left Beeston and the Cockpit Theatre
. The company fractured for a time, but in 1637 was reconstituted at the Salisbury Court Theatre
, with several veterans, including Turner, as continuing members. Turner apparently won a leading position in the troupe; on March 6, 1640, when the Queen's Men were paid £80 for seven Court performances in the previous two years, Turner was the member who received the payment. On January 8, 1641, Turner and leading man Richard Perkins received royal liveries for fourteen members of the company.
Apart from his thespian skills, Turner is the subject of one of the more curious records in the annals of English Renaissance drama: In October 1624, his wife Dorothy got into legal trouble "for cruelly beating and abusing her husband Anthony Turner." Their marriage did not endure; Turner buried another wife, Joan, on February 8, 1640. The parish records of St. Giles in the Fields, home to many theatre people in Turner's era, also record the burials of four Turner children between 1636 and 1651.
Only a few signs of Turner's activity are available after the theatres were closed in 1642, at the start of the English Civil War
. In Andrew Pennycuicke
's 1653 edition of William Heminges
's play The Fatal Contract
, the preface is co-signed "A. T." — and this is thought to indicate Anthony Turner. In 1659, Turner got into trouble for acting in plays at the Red Bull Theatre
, despite the official ban. (William Wintershall
and a Henry Eaton paid a bond to assure Turner's court appearance.)
Caroline era
The Caroline era refers to the era in English and Scottish history during the Stuart period that coincided with the reign of Charles I , Carolus being Latin for Charles...
. For most of his career he worked with Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men.-Beginnings:...
, one of the leading theatre companies
Playing company
In Renaissance London, playing company was the usual term for a company of actors. These companies were organized around a group of ten or so shareholders , who performed in the plays but were also responsible for management. The sharers employed "hired men" — that is, the minor actors and...
of the time.
Nothing is known of Turner's early life or the start of his career; by 1622 he was already a leading player with the Lady Elizabeth's Men
Lady Elizabeth's Men
The Lady Elizabeth's Men, or Princess Elizabeth's Men, was a company of actors in Jacobean London, formed under the patronage of King James I's daughter Princess Elizabeth. From 1618 on, the company was called The Queen of Bohemia's Men, after Elizabeth and her husband the Elector Palatine had...
. In 1625, Christopher Beeston
Christopher Beeston
Christopher Beeston was a successful actor and a powerful theatrical impresario in early 17th century London. He was associated with a number of playwrights, particularly Thomas Heywood.-Early life:...
formed a new company under the patronage of the new queen, Henrietta Maria
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
; some members of the Lady Elizabeth's troupe, including Turner, joined the organization. Turner was a consistent presence in the known casts of the Queen Henrietta's company; he played —
- Justice Landby in Shirley'sJames ShirleyJames Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
The WeddingThe Wedding (1629 play)The Wedding is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy written by James Shirley. Published in 1629, it was the first of Shirley's plays to appear in print. An early comedy of manners, it is set in the fashionable world of genteel London society in Shirley's day.... - Old Lord Bruce in Davenport'sRobert DavenportRobert Davenport was an English dramatist of the early seventeenth century. Nothing is known of his early life or education; the title pages of two of his plays identify him as a "Gentleman," though there is no record of him at either of the two universities or the Inns of Court. Scholars have...
King John and MatildaKing John and MatildaKing John and Matilda is a Caroline era stage play, a historical tragedy written by Robert Davenport. It was initially published in 1655; the cast list included in the first edition is provides valuable information on some of the actors of English Renaissance theatre.-Performance and publication:No... - Bashaw Alcade in Part 2 of Heywood'sThomas HeywoodThomas Heywood was a prominent English playwright, actor, and author whose peak period of activity falls between late Elizabethan and early Jacobean theatre.-Early years:...
The Fair Maid of the WestThe Fair Maid of the WestThe Fair Maid of the West, or a Girl Worth Gold, Parts 1 and 2 is a work of English Renaissance drama, a two-part play written by Thomas Heywood that was first published in 1631.-Date:... - Crates and two other minor parts in Nabbes'sThomas NabbesThomas Nabbes was an English dramatist.He was born in humble circumstances in Worcestershire, and educated at Exeter College, Oxford in 1621...
Hannibal and ScipioHannibal and ScipioHannibal and Scipio is a Caroline era stage play, a classical tragedy written by Thomas Nabbes. The play was first performed in 1635 by Queen Henrietta's Men, and was first published in 1637...
.
Turner tended to play older men, like Justice Landby and Old Lord Bruce; yet he also took the role of a kitchen maid in Part 1 of Fair Maid — one of the few cases in which a mature actor, rather than a boy player
Boy player
Boy player is a common term for the adolescent males employed by Medieval and English Renaissance playing companies. Some boy players worked for the mainstream companies and performed the female roles, as women did not perform on the English stage in this period...
or young adult actor, is known to have played a female character.
During the difficult years of the bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
epidemic of 1636–37, Queen Henrietta's Men left Beeston and the Cockpit Theatre
Cockpit Theatre
The Cockpit was a theatre in London, operating from 1616 to around 1665. It was the first theatre to be located near Drury Lane. After damage in 1617, it was christened The Phoenix....
. The company fractured for a time, but in 1637 was reconstituted at the Salisbury Court Theatre
Salisbury Court Theatre
The Salisbury Court Theatre was a theatre in 17th-century London. It was located in the neighbourhood of Salisbury Court, which was formerly the London residence of the Bishops of Salisbury. Salibury Court was acquired by Richard Sackville in 1564; when Thomas Sackville was created Earl of Dorset...
, with several veterans, including Turner, as continuing members. Turner apparently won a leading position in the troupe; on March 6, 1640, when the Queen's Men were paid £80 for seven Court performances in the previous two years, Turner was the member who received the payment. On January 8, 1641, Turner and leading man Richard Perkins received royal liveries for fourteen members of the company.
Apart from his thespian skills, Turner is the subject of one of the more curious records in the annals of English Renaissance drama: In October 1624, his wife Dorothy got into legal trouble "for cruelly beating and abusing her husband Anthony Turner." Their marriage did not endure; Turner buried another wife, Joan, on February 8, 1640. The parish records of St. Giles in the Fields, home to many theatre people in Turner's era, also record the burials of four Turner children between 1636 and 1651.
Only a few signs of Turner's activity are available after the theatres were closed in 1642, at the start of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. In Andrew Pennycuicke
Andrew Pennycuicke
Andrew Pennycuicke was a mid-seventeenth-century actor and publisher; he was responsible for publishing a number of plays of English Renaissance drama.What little is known of Pennycuicke's acting career comes from his own publications...
's 1653 edition of William Heminges
William Heminges
William Heminges , also Hemminges, Heminge, and other variants, was a playwright and theatrical figure of the Caroline period. He was the ninth child and third son of John Heminges, the actor and colleague of William Shakespeare.William Heminges was christened on October 3, 1602, in the parish of...
's play The Fatal Contract
The Fatal Contract
The Fatal Contract: A French Tragedy is a Caroline era stage play, written by William Heminges. The play has been regarded as one of the most extreme of the revenge tragedies or "tragedies of blood," like The Spanish Tragedy and Titus Andronicus, that constitute a distinctive sub-genre of English...
, the preface is co-signed "A. T." — and this is thought to indicate Anthony Turner. In 1659, Turner got into trouble for acting in plays at the Red Bull Theatre
Red Bull Theatre
The Red Bull was a playhouse in London during the 17th century. For more than four decades, it entertained audiences drawn primarily from the northern suburbs, developing a reputation for rowdy, often disruptive audiences...
, despite the official ban. (William Wintershall
William Wintershall
William Wintershall , also Wintersall or Wintersell, was a noted seventeenth-century English actor. His career spanned the difficult years of mid-century, when English theatres were closed from 1642 to 1660, during the English Civil War and the Interregnum.According to James Wright's Historia...
and a Henry Eaton paid a bond to assure Turner's court appearance.)