A ‘pioneering figure’ in theatre

11:12am Thursday 8th November 2007

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A blue plaque has been unveiled outside a house in Anerley to commemorate Ira Aldridge, one of the first black actors in the country. TOM WILLETTS looks back at his life.

Among the thousands of black people who lived in London during the 1800s was Ira Aldridge, who, in 1825, became the first black actor to play Othello in London.

He was born in New York, USA, in 1807, the son of Daniel Aldridge, a labourer and preacher, and his wife, Luranah.

Mr Aldridge attended the African Free School in Lower Manhattan and it was there he started to develop an interest in acting.

He later appeared in the city's first African Theatre, the African Grove.

But protests by the press at black people appearing on stage forced its closure and it soon became obvious to Mr Aldridge he would struggle to get major roles in his native country.

So he left for Britain aged 17, working for his passage to Liverpool as a ship's steward.

Determined to make it as an actor, he made his London debut on May 11, 1825, as Othello at the Royalty Theatre in Whitechapel and then appeared at the Royal Coburg - now known as The Old Vic.

But The Times newspaper attacked his performances, criticising his pronunciation owing to "the shape of his lips".

Despite this criticism, Mr Aldridge's run at the Royal Coburg was extended and in December 1825, he played Othello at the Theatre Royal Brighton.

He spent the next eight years playing tragic parts such as Othello and comic characters such as Mungo in Isaac Bickerstaffe's musical The Padlock.

When he replaced Edmund Kean, who had collapsed and died while playing Othello at the Covent Garden Theatre, his performances were well-received by the audience.

However, the press remained hostile and continued to criticise his acting on racial grounds.

Despite the bill to abolish slavery passing through parliament, the theatre bowed to the critics and cancelled his remaining engagements.

For the next 19 years, Mr Aldridge moved out of London and donned wigs and white make-up to perform traditionally non-black parts such as Macbeth, Shylock and King Lear.

But by the time he performed again in London in the late 1840s, his reputation was assured and the press were unanimous in their praise.

It was at this time he lived at 5 Hamlet Road, Anerley, his final home, which he named Luranah Villa after his mother.

Mr Aldridge then went on a three-year tour through Belgium, Prussia and Austria-Hungary from July 1852.

He died in August 1867 while on tour in Lodz, Poland.

Speaking about the blue plaque unveiling, English Heritage blue plaques historian Susan Skedd said: "English Heritage is delighted to be able to honour Ira Aldridge with a blue plaque at his only surviving residence.

"A pioneering figure in the history of world theatre, Mr Aldridge was an outstanding interpreter of Shakespeare and was the first black actor known to have played the role of Othello in London."