Sarah Bezra Nicol (died 1834 or after) was a British actress who
became known for playing older women character roles in
Edinburgh.Sarah's birth name is unknown. At the end of the 18th
century she was first noticed as a servant to Colonel and the Hon. Mrs
Milner. They encouraged her after she joined an amateur dramatic
society known as the "Shakespearean Society of London" which put on
plays in a small theatre in Tottenham Court Road. The Milners saw her
appear in Venice Preserv'd and they supported her in her ambitions and
she went on to act outside London. She soon became "Mrs. Nicol" â€"
her husband worked as a printer â€" and this was the name under which
all her subsequent work was done. In 1800 she gave birth to Emma Nicol
who was the first of four daughters who were to become actresses.By
1807 she was the character actress of choice for old woman roles at
the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh, and in the following year she had her
first benefit performance. Mrs Nicol appeared with Henry Siddons at
the New Theatre Royal on Leith Walk and she went on play character
roles like Mrs Malaprop. She was in the company chosen to perform in
an operatic adaptation of the novel Rob Roy for the first time in the
city. It was titled "Rob Roy MacGregor" and it was adapted by the
manager of the theatre William Henry Murray and first performed on 10
June 1818. Mrs Nicol played the role of Jean McAlpine in the play and
when King George IV visited Scotland he saw Rob Roy and she was still
in that role. Two of her daughters appeared with her in Rob Roy
MacGregor with Emma taking the role of Mattie. Emma Nicol left the
city to find work in London at some time around 1823.In 1823 Mrs Nicol
was engraved as Miss Grizelda Oldbuck by William Home Lizars. She had
played that part at the Theatre Royal in an adaptation of Walter
Scott's novel The Antiquary.
became known for playing older women character roles in
Edinburgh.Sarah's birth name is unknown. At the end of the 18th
century she was first noticed as a servant to Colonel and the Hon. Mrs
Milner. They encouraged her after she joined an amateur dramatic
society known as the "Shakespearean Society of London" which put on
plays in a small theatre in Tottenham Court Road. The Milners saw her
appear in Venice Preserv'd and they supported her in her ambitions and
she went on to act outside London. She soon became "Mrs. Nicol" â€"
her husband worked as a printer â€" and this was the name under which
all her subsequent work was done. In 1800 she gave birth to Emma Nicol
who was the first of four daughters who were to become actresses.By
1807 she was the character actress of choice for old woman roles at
the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh, and in the following year she had her
first benefit performance. Mrs Nicol appeared with Henry Siddons at
the New Theatre Royal on Leith Walk and she went on play character
roles like Mrs Malaprop. She was in the company chosen to perform in
an operatic adaptation of the novel Rob Roy for the first time in the
city. It was titled "Rob Roy MacGregor" and it was adapted by the
manager of the theatre William Henry Murray and first performed on 10
June 1818. Mrs Nicol played the role of Jean McAlpine in the play and
when King George IV visited Scotland he saw Rob Roy and she was still
in that role. Two of her daughters appeared with her in Rob Roy
MacGregor with Emma taking the role of Mattie. Emma Nicol left the
city to find work in London at some time around 1823.In 1823 Mrs Nicol
was engraved as Miss Grizelda Oldbuck by William Home Lizars. She had
played that part at the Theatre Royal in an adaptation of Walter
Scott's novel The Antiquary.
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