Nancy Dawson

Nancy Dawson was the stage name of Ann Newton (c.1728-1767), a famous London dancer and actress. She rose to fame performing a solo rendition of the hornpipe between acts in "The Beggar's Opera" in Covent Garden in 1759. She was immortalised in song by means of a ballad (sung to a variation of the tune of 'Here we go round the mulberry bush'), viz:

THE BALLAD OF NANCY DAWSON

Of all the girls in our town, The red, the black, the fair, the brown, That dance and prance it up and down, There's none like Nancy Dawson.

Her easy mien, her shape so neat, She foots, she trips, she looks so sweet; Her every motion’s so complete, I die for Nancy Dawson.

See how she comes to give surprise, With joy and pleasure in her eyes: To give delight she always tries, So means my Nancy Dawson.

Was there no task, t’obstruct the way, No shutter old, no house so gay, A bet of fifty pounds I’d lay, That I gained Nancy Dawson.

See how the opera takes a run Exceeding Hamlet, Lear and Lun Though in it there would be no fun, Was’t not for Nancy Dawson.

Though beard and brent charm ev’ry night And female peachum’s justly right, And filch and lockit please the sight, ‘Tis kept by Nancy Dawson.

See little davey strut and puff, ‘Confound the opera and such stuff, My house is never full enough, A curse on Nancy Dawson”.

Though G[arric]k he had has his day And forced the town his laws t’obey, With Jonny Rich is come in play, With the help of Nancy Dawson.

References

External links

• http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/NA.htm]
• http://www.iccy.org.uk