Local Heroes

David Garrick was one of history's finest acting talents, and one of Lichfield's most famous sons.

He invented many of theatre's current traditions and was responsible for revitalising the reputation of London's famous Drury Lane Theatre. Now a major new theatre in the county is named after him.

But the Staffordshire thespian only fell into acting because he wasn't very good at selling wine...

Renowned Teacher

Lichfield's David Garrick was born in Herefordshire in 1717 to the daughter of a Vicar Choral of Lichfield Cathedral.

The family grew up in Lichfield itself, although the fact that David's father was a Captain in the army meant the large Garrick family spent a lot of time without seeing him.

David was educated in the Grammar school in Lichfield, after which the nineteen-year old and his elder brother were sent to the academy of Dr Samuel Johnson in nearby Edial.

Six months after their arrival, the academy closed down and both Garrick and Dr Johnson went to London virtually penniless. Johnson later claimed he only had twopence halfpenny in his pocket at the time while Garrick only had three halfpennys in his.

The Wine Trade

David's father died just one month after he arrived in London. Soon after that, David and his brother received a £1,000 legacy from an uncle in Lisbon.

With the money, they set up a wine merchant's business with bases in Lichfield and London. David's brother George ran the Staffordshire branch, while David remained in London.

The venture wasn't very profitable and within five years, David had already spent well over half his money.

Whilst in the trade, though, he'd also made a lot of friends in acting circles. One of them was Charles Fleetwood, the owner of the Drury Lane Theatre.

Taking to the Stage

It was Fleetwood who gave Garrick his first stage work, setting him up for a career breakthrough a few months later.

Illnesses to actors and opportunism from the young David Garrick led to his first minor roles in plays like The Recruiting Officer and Harlequin Student.

His rise to stardom came just six months later at the same venue in his performance of Shakespeare's Richard III. Until then, Garrick had been trying to remain anonymous, perfoming under the name of 'Lyddal' in masked and low-profile roles.

His performance in Richard III changed that. The fame and recognition that the show brought meant that anonymity was no longer an option. He contacted his brother the day afterwards, telling him of his desire to leave the wine trade. After much debate, the family reluctantly agreed, and David was free to persue his acting career.

Garrick was hired by the much-vaunted Drury Lane Theatre the next year, but when the theatre got into serious financial difficulties soon afterwards, he led a strike and sued the management for £600 in unpaid wages.

Stage Management

A few years later, after a successful spell in Dublin, Garrick returned to become part-owner of the Drury Lane Theatre with ex-Covent Garden stage manager James Lacey.

During his time there, David Garrick became the first person to use period-style costumes and props in the theatre. He also pioneered the ideas of refusing backstage entry, reducing fees for those leaving early or arriving late and positioning the orchestra in front of the stage.

Garrick's reputation spread and by the 1750s, Garrick was at the peak of his acting career and had made the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane the most popular in London.

Legacy

Garrick retired in 1776, having produced twenty-four Shakespeare plays and played at least seventeen different Shakespearian characters.

Unfortunately, it was a fairly short retirement. The kidney problems that had plagued his acting career became worse. David Garrick died in 1779, having left his considerable collection of plays and literature to the British Museum.

To honour his service to the arts, he was buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.

The first David Garrick Memorial Theatre in Bore Street, Lichfield was pulled down in 1953. After four decades as the Lichfield Civic Hall, a second Garrick Theatre opened to the public in July 2003.

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