author
Dorothy Jordan
1761–1816
A lively Anglo-Irish stage star of the late 18th century, she was celebrated for sparkling comic performances and breeches roles, and her life offstage drew just as much attention as her work in the theater.
1 Audiobook
The spoil'd child: A farce, in two acts, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
by Isaac Bickerstaff, Sir Richard Ford, Prince Hoare, Dorothy Jordan
About the author
Born Dorothea Bland in 1761, she became famous on the British stage as Mrs. Jordan, though she was often also called Dorothy or Dora Jordan. She built her reputation in comedy and was especially admired for energetic, playful performances that made her one of the best-known actresses of her day.
Her career flourished in London, where she appeared at Drury Lane and became a major theatrical figure. She is also widely remembered for her long relationship with Prince William, Duke of Clarence, the future William IV, with whom she had ten children.
Her later years were far less secure, and she died in France in 1816. Even so, she remains a vivid figure in theater history: a performer remembered not only for royal scandal, but for real stage talent and popular appeal.