Hodson, Henrietta (1841–1910)
Hodson, Henrietta (1841–1910)
English actress. Name variations: Henrietta Labouchere. Born in 1841; died in 1910; married second husband Henry Labouchere Du Pré (1831–1912, a journalist and politician), in 1868.
Henrietta Hodson made her theatrical debut in 1858. Four years later, she appeared in Manchester with Sir Henry Irving. A popular comedic actress, Hodson made her London debut in 1866 and joined the Queen's Theatre Company in 1867. The following year, she married Henry Labouchere, later one of the most powerful radicals in the House of Commons, who became sole owner of the Queen's in 1870. Hodson appeared there as Imogen in Cymbeline in 1871. In October of that year, Hodson took over the management of the Royalty Theatre where she created the system of the unseen orchestra, revived Wild Oats, was praised for her portrayal of Peg Woffington , and introduced Lillie Langtry to the English public. But management of a theater must have had its burdens. In 1877, Hodson issued a pamphlet titled "A Letter from Miss Henrietta Hodson, an actress, to the members of the dramatic profession, being a relation to the persecutions which she has suffered from Mr. William Schwenk Gilbert, a dramatic author." Though Gilbert, the renowned writing partner of Arthur Sullivan, replied with his own pamphlet, Hodson had the last word, with a long letter to the magazine Era. Hodson retired to Florence with her husband in 1903.