author
R. C. (Richard Claude) Carton
1853–1928
Best known for polished comedies and farces, this English stage writer also spent years as an actor before turning his sharp eye to playwriting. His work became a familiar part of late Victorian and Edwardian theatre.
1 Audiobook
Lady Huntworth's Experiment: An original comedy in three acts
by R. C. (Richard Claude) Carton
About the author
Born Richard Claude Critchett on May 10, 1853, in London, he wrote under the name R. C. Carton and built a career as both an actor and a playwright. He began on the stage in the 1870s, appearing in Shakespearean productions before finding greater success as a writer for the theatre.
Carton became especially known for light comedies and farces, often praised for their wit and theatrical polish. Among his best-known plays are Liberty Hall, The Home Secretary, and Lord and Lady Algy, works that helped secure his place in British theatre around the turn of the 20th century.
He died in London on April 1, 1928. Remembered today chiefly for his stage writing, he is one of those authors whose career shows how closely acting and playwriting could overlap in the theatre world of his time.