Mary Kent

Mary Kent was an English actress, whose career lasted from 1692 to 1718, and the wife of Drury Lane actor Thomas Kent. Her dates of birth and death are not known. Mary Kent appeared in many playbills from 1692 onwards in London, playing minor parts in the United Company until the company's tumultuous breakup in 1695. She and her husband remained with the depleted parent troupe when the senior actors walked out to set up their own cooperative company, and during the consequent brief actor shortage at Drury Lane, she played more important parts, notably Flareit in Colley Cibber's Love's Last Shift and young Tom Fashion (as a breeches role) in John Vanbrugh's The Relapse in 1697.^[1][2] This role came at a time when it was common for boys to be portrayed by actresses and her casting was described as perhaps "an attempt to defuse the homosexual suggestions in his (Tom Fashion's) relationship with Coupler."^[2]

She continued to appear in minor roles at Drury Lane up to 1710, and had her first and only taste of female lead roles at the theatre operated by William Penkethman at Greenwich during the summer season of 1710. After this experience she did not return to supporting roles, but instead worked at a puppet theatre from 1710 to 1714. Only when John Rich opened his new theatrical enterprise in Lincoln's Inn Fields in December 1714 did she return to the stage, appearing in playbills for Rich's company up to 1718.

Notes

1. ^ Howe, Elizabeth (1992). The first English actresses: women and drama, 1660-1700. Cambridge University Press. p. 57. ISBN 9780521422109. http://books.google.com/books?id=gPC5RvL7O_8C&pg=PA57. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Pearson, Jacqueline (1988). The prostituted muse: images of women & women dramatists, 1642-1737. Harvester. ISBN 9780710809087. http://books.google.com/books?id=bCJaAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 

References

Highfill, Philip Jr, Burnim, Kalman A., and Langhans, Edward (1973–93). "Mary Kent", in Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660–1800. 16 volumes. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. All the facts in the article are taken from the "Mary Kent" entry in this standard work.

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