Isaac Pocock
Isaac Pocock (2 March 1782 – 23 August 1835) was an English dramatist and painter of portraits and historical subjects. He wrote
Life
Isaac Pocock was born in
Between 1800 and 1805, Pocock exhibited subject-pictures and portraits at the
In 1818 Pocock inherited some property at
Pocock died at Ray Lodge, Maidenhead, on 23 August 1835, and was buried in the family vault at Cookham.[3]
Dramatic works
Pocock's first dramatic work was a musical farce in two acts, entitled Yes or No?,
It was followed by many similar productions,[3] of which Hit or Miss!,[5] with music by Charles Smith, was by far the most successful, opening at the Lyceum on 26 February 1810, and performed at least 33 times. Its success, it was said, was owed to the performance of Charles Mathews in the character "Dick Cypher". In 1815 Mathews appeared also in Pocock's Mr. Farce-Writer at the Covent Garden Theatre.
Twenty Years Ago, a melodramatic entertainment, was performed at the
Pocock's Miller and his Men, a popular romantic melodrama with music by Henry Bishop, was still playing in 1835. For England Ho!, a melodramatic opera, produced at Covent Garden on 15 December 1813, and acted some 11 times, was published in 1814. John of Paris, a comic opera adapted from the French, was produced at Covent Garden on 12 October 1814, and performed 17 times.[6] Liston played an innkeeper. When revived at the Haymarket in 1826, Lucia Elizabeth Vestris was in the cast. It was again played at Covent Garden in 1835. Zembuca, or the Net-maker, first given at Covent Garden, as "a holiday piece" on 27 March 1815, was played 28 times. The Magpie or the Maid (John Miller, 1815),</ref> a drama in three acts, a second edition of which appeared in 1816, was adapted from the French of Louis-Charles Caigniez and Théodore Baudouin d'Aubigny.[7] It was first printed in 1814. "Robinson Crusoe, or the Bold Buccaneers", a romantic drama in two acts, was produced as an Easter piece at Covent Garden in 1817, with Charles Farley in the title rôle and Joseph Grimaldi as Friday. It was published, with remarks by George Daniel, and printed in Lacy's and Dick's Collections. It was revived in 1826.
Pocock later adapted some of the
Besides these plays, Pocock wrote The Heir of Veroni and The Libertine, operas, in 1817, Husbands and Wives, a farce in 1817, The Robber's Wife, a romantic drama in two acts, adapted from the German in 1829 with music by F. Ries, The Corporal's Wedding, a farce in 1830, The Omnibus, an interlude, in 1831,[10] Country Quarters and The Clutterbucks, farces in 1832, Scan Mag, a farce in 1833, The Ferry and the Mill, a melodrama in 1833, and King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, a Christmas equestrian spectacle in 1834–1835. ‘The Night Patrol, a farce, and Cavaliers and Roundheads, an adaptation of Old Mortality, were played posthumously.
Family
Pocock married Louisa Hime in 1812.
References
- ^ a b Christine L. Krueger, George Stade, Karen Karbiener. Encyclopedia of British Writers: 19th and 20th Centuries (Infobase Publishing, 2003) p. 274-5.
- ^ Sir Isaac Pocock Senior Archived 6 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Fripp and Pocock families of Bristol, England – 18 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d e DNB, 1885–1900, vol. 46, p. 3.
- ^ I. Pocock. Yes or No? (J. Barker, 1809).
- ^ I. Pocock. Hit or Miss! (W. H. Wyatt, 1810).
- ^ I. Pocock. John of Paris (John Miller, 1814).
- ^ I. Pocock. The Magpie or the Maid?
- ^ I. Pocock. Rob Roy Macgregor; or, Auld lang syne! (John Miller, 1818).
- ^ I. Pocock. Home Sweet Home (S. R. Kirkby, 1824).
- ^ I. Pocock. The Omnibus (New York, Douglas, 1848).
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Pocock, Isaac". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
External links
- Isaac Pocock online (ArtCyclopedia)
- Works by or about Isaac Pocock at Internet Archive