Charlotte Charke | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Detail from "Damon and Phillida Reconciled: A Scene from Colley Cibber’s ‘Damon and Phillida’" in which Charke portrayed the character Damon. Painted by William Jones in 1740. | |
| Born | 13 January 1713 |
| Died | 6 April 1760 (aged 47) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Parent(s) | Colley Cibber and Catherine Cibber. |
Charlotte Charke (née Cibber, also Charlotte Secheverell, aka Charles Brown) was an English actress, playwright, novelist, and autobiographer. She began acting at the age of seventeen in breeches roles, and took to wearing male clothing off stage as well, performing and being publicly known as "Charles Brown" from 1741. Her later career and her writings were conducted under her own name, "Mrs. Charlotte Charke", and identified her as the daughter of Colley Cibber. After being unsuccessful in a series of jobs associated with men at the time, such as valet, sausage maker, farmer, and tavern owner, she succeeded in her career as a writer and continued her work as a novelist and memoirist until her death in 1760.