Siddons, Sarah
Siddons, Sarah (1755–1831). Actress. The eldest of Roger Kemble's twelve children, her early years were spent travelling widely with the family company until marriage to the young actor William Siddons. Her first London season (1775/6) was a failure, but, having established a reputation in the provinces, she reappeared at Drury Lane and rapidly regained recognition in a theatre where neo-classicism and tragic posing were replacing the relative naturalism of Garrick's day. Described by Hazlitt as ‘tragedy personified’, painted by Reynolds as The Tragic Muse, and acting with her brother John, she inspired admiration rather than affection, though as her girth increased (a Kemble characteristic) some poses threatened to become grotesque and empire-line dresses were unflattering. A strong voice and declamatory style contributed to a legend that she sustained until her farewell at Covent Garden in 1812, when she played Lady Macbeth, the role most associated with her.
A. S. Hargreaves
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Sarah Kemble Siddons
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