Actor Profiles

Derek Jacobi Dwayne Lawler Edmund Kean Hiroyuki Sanada Ira Aldridge John Gielgud John Philip Kemble Kenneth Branagh Laurence Olivier Nigel Hawthorne Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Siddons Toby Stephens

Sarah Siddons, (1755-1831)

Sarah Siddons was a member of the famous Kemble acting clan, the eldest child of the manager of a theatre troupe. She grew up in a theatrical atmosphere and began at an early age. The theatre became her entire life, even her marriage at the age of 18 to another actor fulfilled that drive. Sarah had her breakthrough at Drury Lane in 1792 in a non-Shakespeare role. She quickly became Britain's leading tragic actress and closed her career in 1812 as Lady Macbeth, a role she had made her own. Sarah never fully retired from public life, giving many dramatic readings until her death.

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