Charles Mathews (June 28, 1776 - June 28, 1835) was an English theatre manager and comic actor, well-known during his time for his gift for impersonation. His play, At Home, in which he played every character, was the first monopolylogue and the defining work in the genre. (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... (Some entries on this page have been duplicated on August 1. ... 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... See comedian Stand up comedian List of Comedians List of British comedians comics comic book comic strip underground comics alternative comics web comic sprite comics manga graphic novel List of comic characters This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... An impressionist is a performer whose act consists of giving the impression of being someone else by imitating the other persons voice and mannerisms. ... A monopolylogue is a stage play with more than one character in which one actor plays every role. ...

He was born in London, the son of a bookseller who also served as minister in one of the Countess of Huntingdon's chapels. Mathews was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. His love for the stage was formed in his boyhood, when he was apprentice to his father, who in 1794 unwillingly allowed him to take up acting in Dublin. In 1797 he married Eliza Kirkham Strong, who died in 1802. In 1803 he married Anne Jackson, an actress. St. ... Selina, Countess of Huntingdon (August 24, 1707 - June 17, 1791) was an English religious leader who played a prominent part in the Methodist movement in England and Wales. ... Merchant Taylors crest Merchant Taylors School is a British public school, located in Northwood in the London Borough of Hillingdon. ... Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath),is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin region. ... 1802 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

For several years Mathews had to be content with bit parts, but in May 1803 he made his first London appearance at the Haymarket, as Jabel in Cumberland's The Jew and as Lingo in The Agreeable Surprise. From then on, his acting career was also an uninterrupted triumph. 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Haymarket Theatre, ca. ... Richard Cumberland (February 19, 1732 - May 7, 1811) was an English dramatist and civil servant. ...

His gift for mimicry enabled him to disguise his personality without a change of costume. His versatility and originality were displayed in his one man show At Home, begun in the Lyceum theatre in 1808, which, according to Leigh Hunt, "for the richness and variety of his humour, were as good as half a dozen plays distilled." The show combined mimicry, storytelling, recitations, improvisation, quick-change artistry, and comic song. A lyceum can be an educational institution (often a school of secondary education in Europe), or a public hall used for cultural events like concerts. ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... James Henry Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (October 19, 1784 - August 28, 1859) was an English essayist and writer. ... Storytelling is the art of portraying in words, images, and sounds what has happened in real or imagined events. ... Recitation means a discussion carried by a Teaching Assistant to supplement a lecture given by a senior faculty at an academic institution. ... Improvisation is hopppo of making something up as it is performed. ...

In 1822 Mathews toured the United States, to great success. A few years after his return, he bought a half-share in the Adelphi Theatre. Adelphi was a critical and popular success, but for Mathews not a financial success, so in 1834, he went on a second tour of America. He cut his trip short and returned ill from the tour after putting in his last appearance in New York City on February 11, 1835. He failed to recuperate, and died poor in Plymouth, without ever appearing again on a British stage. 1822 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Adam brothers Adelphi Buildings in an 18th-century print; the terrace stood upon riverfront warehousing. ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of American finance, politics, music, and culture. ... February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Smeatons tower on Plymouth Hoe Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ...

His son, Charles James Mathews was also a successful actor. Charles James Mathews (December 26, 1803–June 24, 1878), was born at Liverpool, a son of the actor Charles Mathews and became even better known than him in the same profession. ...

This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. Supporters contend that the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1911) represents, in many ways, the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

Trivia

• The character of Alfred Jingle in The Pickwick Papers is said to have been inspired by Mathews.

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. ...

External links and references

• Portraits of Mathews, from the National Portrait Gallery
• The 1828-29 and 1834-35 Seasons at Adelphi Theatre, two of several articles from a E. Michigan University website
• Special Collections, Princeton University Library, home of some of the papers of Mathews and his actor son
• The Works of Art Collection from the Garrick Club, a collection started with works collected by Mathews