author
David Garrick
1717–1779
A dazzling actor, playwright, and theater manager, he helped reshape the English stage in the 18th century. Best known for bringing Shakespeare to life for new audiences, he became one of the most influential performers of his age.
1 Audiobook
A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from Shakespeare (1763)
by William Shakespeare, George Colman, David Garrick
About the author
Born in Hereford in 1717, David Garrick became one of the great stars of the English theater. He was educated for a time alongside Samuel Johnson, later moved to London, and first won wide attention with his breakthrough performance as Richard III in 1741.
Garrick did far more than act. As co-manager of Drury Lane Theatre, he helped reform acting style and stage practice, pushing performances toward greater naturalness and emotional truth. He also adapted and wrote plays, and his championing of Shakespeare played a major part in shaping the playwright's lasting place in British cultural life.
He retired from the stage in 1776 and died in London in 1779. Even centuries later, Garrick is remembered as a performer who changed what audiences expected from actors and from the theater itself.