Centlivre, Susannah

Centlivre, Susannah (c. 1667-1723), English playwright and actress. As an actress Centlivre had success on the provincial stage, particularly in men's roles. When her second husband was killed in a duel she took also to writing plays to earn a living. She was acting as Alexander the Great when her third and last husband fell in love with her in 1706: she was on stage at Windsor, where he was head cook to Queen Anne. When they married, Alexander Pope mocked Susannah as “the cook's wife in Buckingham Court”. Her plays, 19 in all and mostly comedies, were very popular. They included The Busybody (1709) and A Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717). A lively wit and engaging spirit softens their coarser side. The great actor David Garrick chose one for his farewell performance: The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret (1714).