Isabella Glyn

Isabella Glyn Dallas (1823-1889) was a well-known Victorian-era Shakespearean actress.

Life

Isabella Glyn Dallas was born in Edinburgh on May 22, 1823. She made her first stage appearance in Manchester under her mother's maiden name of Glyn on November 8, 1847, where she appeared as Constance in Shakespeare's "King John". She next debuted at the Olympic in London as Lady Macbeth on January 28, 1848. She played at Sadler's Wells Theatre from 1848-1851; and gave her first public Shakespearian reading September 1851. She appeared at Drury Lane as Bianca in "Fazio" on December 26, 1851. She made subsequent appearances at St. James' in 1854, at Standard in 1855, at Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1859, and Princess's Theatre in 1867. She also gave recitals at Boston, U.S.A in 1870; and, she gave Shakespearian readings at Steinway hall and at St. James in 1878 and 1879. She was at the end of her career a theatrical instructor; and, the latest adherent of the Kemble school of acting. Her portrait appeared frequently in many popular magazines and journals during her life time. She was usually known on sight whenever she appeared in public.

She was married twice. Her first marriage was to Edward Wills. This marriage, however, was brief due to her husband's premature death. Her second marriage was to the notable "The Times" journalist, Eneas Sweetland Dallas to whom she was married in Glasgow in December 1853. They had a second wedding in London on July 12, 1855. They were divorced on her petition on May 10, 1874. It was a source of much scandal at the time. Shortly after her case came to trial, she was imprisoned at Holloway for contempt of court in declining to give up documents relating to her divorce case. She was released from custody on June 28, 1879. The prison at Holloway was the same prison that held Oscar Wilde during his incarceration. She died of cancer at 13 Mount St. Grover Sq., London on May 18, 1889. She was 66 years old at the time of her death.

References

# "Modern English Biography, Volume I (A -- H)", ed. by Frederick Boase, London: Frank Cass & Co. LTD, 1965.