John Lacy
Who was John Lacy?
English comic actor and playwright (1615-1681)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on John Lacy (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
John Lacy (c. 1615 – 17 September 1681) was an English comic actor and playwright who became famous during the Restoration, earning a reputation as the best comedian of his time. He was a favorite of King Charles II. Born in Doncaster, Lacy first trained as a dancing master under John Ogilby, which influenced his comedic style and stage presence. When theatres reopened after the Interregnum, he was ready to become a top figure in the revived English theatre scene.
Lacy joined the King's Company led by Thomas Killigrew after Charles II's return in 1660. In this company, he built his esteemed reputation. Known for his versatility, he played comic characters with ease, impressing audiences of his day. Samuel Pepys, the noted diarist, praised Lacy's performances, highlighting his skill in comic roles. His background as a dancing master's apprentice likely enhanced his physical comedic style, setting him apart from other actors.
Lacy also wrote and adapted plays. Common in his time, he reworked existing material with his own comedic touch. His notable works include 'The Dumb Lady, or The Farrier Made Physician,' adapted from Molière, and 'Sauny the Scot,' his take on Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew,' featuring a memorable Scottish servant, Sauny. These works show Lacy's knack for appealing to Restoration audiences with broad humor, familiar social characters, and lively plots.
King Charles II greatly admired Lacy. The king had Sir Peter Lely and other artists paint Lacy in some of his famous comic roles, showing the high regard in which he was held. This royal support solidified Lacy's status and gave him prominence that few actors enjoyed at the time. Despite his court favor, Lacy faced some controversy, including a brief imprisonment after a performance upset the authorities.
Lacy passed away on 17 September 1681, leaving behind a legacy as both a performer and playwright that influenced the comic culture of the early Restoration stage. His career spanned the transition from the pre-Civil War theatre, where he first trained, to the lively Restoration theatres, making him a figure who connected two different periods of English theatre history.
Before Fame
John Lacy was born around 1615 in Doncaster, in northern England, at a time when theater was thriving under the later Stuart monarchs before the Civil War. Not much is known about his early life, but he started his theater career through an apprenticeship with John Ogilby, a dancing master, poet, and impresario. This training gave Lacy a strong footing in physical and performative arts, which later set his comic stage work apart.
The theaters were shut down by Parliamentary decree in 1642, halting English professional drama for nearly twenty years, likely preventing an early theater career for Lacy. During the years the theaters were closed, Lacy's activities aren't well recorded. However, when theaters reopened with Charles II's Restoration in 1660, he quickly became a skilled and experienced performer, ready to influence the new era of English drama. His early training and any private or informal performances during the theater closure prepared him well for the opportunities the Restoration stage offered.
Key Achievements
- Recognized during his lifetime as the foremost comic actor of the Restoration stage in England
- Appointed as a favourite performer of King Charles II, who commissioned his portrait in multiple comic roles
- Authored and adapted several plays for the Restoration stage, including 'Sauny the Scot' and 'The Dumb Lady, or The Farrier Made Physician'
- Performed as a leading member of the King's Company under Thomas Killigrew following the reopening of the theatres in 1660
- Created the enduring comic character Sauny, a Scottish manservant, as a significant addition to the theatrical repertoire derived from Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'
Did You Know?
- 01.King Charles II commissioned portraits of Lacy depicted in three different comic roles within a single painting, an unusual honor reflecting the king's personal admiration for the actor.
- 02.Lacy's adaptation 'Sauny the Scot' transformed Shakespeare's Katherina and Petruchio story by introducing a broad Scottish comic servant, Sauny, who gave the play its title and much of its comic energy.
- 03.Samuel Pepys recorded attending performances featuring Lacy on multiple occasions in his diary, describing him in notably enthusiastic terms as one of the best comic performers he had ever seen.
- 04.Before his theatrical career, Lacy trained as a dancing master's apprentice under John Ogilby, who was himself a multi-talented figure known as a printer, cartographer, and impresario as well as a dancing instructor.
- 05.Lacy was briefly held under arrest following a performance in which material was deemed offensive or improper, illustrating the precarious relationship between Restoration actors and official censure even when they enjoyed royal favor.