The London Stage Database team will be retiring the Legacy Search on May 1, 2025. Please take a moment before that date to reproduce any pre-2021 searches and export any resulting datasets you may wish to preserve for future use. We are making this change in order to free up computational resources for new features and data, currently in development with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Watch this space for more updates and, coming soon, new ways to keep up with the latest project developments!
SELECT * FROM london_stages WHERE MATCH('(@(authnameclean,perftitleclean,commentcclean,commentpclean) "Willis"/1) | (@(roleclean,performerclean) "Willis")') GROUP BY eventid ORDER BY weight() desc, eventdate asc OPTION field_weights=(perftitleclean=100, commentpclean=75, commentcclean=75, roleclean=100, performerclean=100, authnameclean=100), ranker=sph04
We found 769 matches on Roles/Actors, 364 matches on Performance Comments, 114 matches on Performance Title, 27 matches on Event Comments, and 0 matches on Author.
Event Comment: Benefit Miss Willis

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Comical History Of Don Quixote

Performance Comment: Don Quixote-Bowen; Sancho-Leigh; Ambrosia-Booth; Cardenio-Bowman; Manuel-Pack; Bernardo-Norris; Mary the Buxom-Mrs Bicknell; Marcella-Mrs Bradshaw; Teresa-Mrs Willis.
Cast
Role: Teresa Actor: Mrs Willis.

Dance: Milk Maid's Dance- not performed these 4 Years

Song: Smugg Upon Tuesday-Mrs Willis

Event Comment: Benefit Smith and Miss Willis

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Provok'd Wife

Performance Comment: See17190131 but Sir John-Quin; Mademoiselle-Mrs Willis.
Cast
Role: Mademoiselle Actor: Mrs Willis.

Song: Leveridge, Mrs Willis; Ballad of Sally-Mrs Willis

Dance: As17190113

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Willis and her Daughter

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Rover

Performance Comment: As17200101, but Valeria-Miss Willis.
Cast
Role: Valeria Actor: Miss Willis.

Song:

Dance:

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Recruiting Officer

Performance Comment: Plume-Gale; Worthy-Willis; Balance-Walker; Brazen-Turner; Bullock-Allison; Kite-James; Sylvia-Mrs More; Melinda-Mrs Ferguson; Rose-Mrs Bennet; Collier-Paddick .
Cast
Role: Worthy Actor: Willis

Afterpiece Title: Flora

Entertainment:

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: Parts by: Holland, King, Reddish, Cautherly, Dodd, Palmer, Baddeley, Mrs Baddeley, Mrs Clive. Prologue, Epilogue. Frampton-Reddish; Lord Eustace-Cautherly; Sir William Evans-Holland; Willis-Dodd; Capt. Loyd-King; Col. Evans-Palmer; Robert-Baddeley; Mrs Winifred-Mrs Clive; Harriet-Mrs Baddeley; Betty-Mrs Smith; Prologue-King; Epilogue (by Garrick)-Mrs Clive (Edition of 1769).
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd

Afterpiece Title: The Devil to Pay

Dance: I: The Wake, as17680929

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: Sir William Evans-Holland; Capt. Loyd-King; Frampton-Reddish; Lord Eustace-Cautherly; Col. Evans-Palmer; Willis-W. Palmer; Robert-Baddeley; Mrs Winifred-Mrs Hopkins; Harriet-Mrs Baddeley.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: W. Palmer

Afterpiece Title: Queen Mab

Dance: I: Comic Dance-Daigueville, Sga Vidini

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: As17690926, but Willis-Dodd.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd.

Afterpiece Title: The Jubilee

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: As17691014 but Willis-W. Palmer.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: W. Palmer.

Afterpiece Title: The Jubilee

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: As17691103, but Sir William-Hurst; Willis-Dodd.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd.

Afterpiece Title: The Jubilee

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: Capt. Lloyd-King; Frampton-Reddish; Sir Wm. Evans-Hurst; Lord Eustace-Cautherly; Colonel Evans-Palmer; Willis-Dodd; Robert-Baddeley; Harriet-Mrs Baddeley; Mrs Winifred-Mrs Hopkins.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd

Afterpiece Title: The Jubilee

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: Capt. Lloyd-King; Frampton-Reddish; Sir William Evans-Hurst; Lord Eustace-Cautherly; Col. Evans-Palmer; Willis-Dodd; Robert-Baddeley; Harriet-Mrs Morland; Mrs Winifred-Mrs Hopkins.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd

Afterpiece Title: The Institution of the Garter; or, Arthur's Round Table Restored

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The School For Rakes

Performance Comment: Capt. Lloyd-King; Frampton-Reddish; Sir William-Hurst; Col. Evans-Palmer; Willis-Dodd; Robert-Baddeley; Mrs Winifred-Mrs Hopkins; Harriet-Miss P. Hopkins , first time; Lord Eustace-Davies , first time.
Cast
Role: Willis Actor: Dodd

Afterpiece Title: The Waterman

Dance: End: The Savage Hunters, as17751118

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The West Indian

Performance Comment: Belcour-Jerrold; Stockwell-Jones; Capt. Dudley-Leach; Charles-Wilson; Fulmer-Willis; Varland-Creswell; Stukely-Wortley; Major O'Flaherty-Price; Lady Rusport-Mrs Weeks; Louisa Dudley-Mrs Kingham; Charlotte Rusport-Mrs Jerrold; Prologue-Master Jerrold.
Cast
Role: Fulmer Actor: Willis

Afterpiece Title: Bon Ton; or, High Life above Stairs

Entertainment: Monologue.End: A Sea Fight.Frenchman-Jerrold

Event Comment: Benefit Short and Mrs Willis

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Madam Fickle; Or, The Witty False One

Song: The Turky/Cock Music-Mrs Willis; a comical country dialogue-Mrs Willis, Cook; a song-older of Mrs Willis' daughters; Eccles' three-part song set for the Queen's Birthday-Short, Cook, Davis

Dance: Irish Trot-younger of Mrs Willis' daughters, age five

Event Comment: Benefit Short and Mrs Willis. Mainpiece: Not Acted these Five Years. Afterpiece: in four Musical Entertainments

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Comical Transformation; Or, The Devil Of A Wife

Afterpiece Title: The Loves of Mars and Venus

Song: Mrs Willis' two Daughters

Dance: Mrs Willis's two Daughters, who never perform'd before

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Willis and Mrs Porter. Mainpiece: Written by the famous Beaumont and Fletcher [sic]

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Measure For Measure

Afterpiece Title: Acis and Galatea

Song: Comical Songs from Wonders in the Sun-; particularly a Song-Mrs Willis , representing one of Queen Elizabeth's Dames of Honour

Dance: Comical Dances from Wonders in the Sun-

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Love's A Jest

Performance Comment: Railmore-Mills; Lovewell-Elrington; Airy-Bowman; Sir Topewell Clownish-Johnson; Squire Illbred-Bullock; Sir ThomasGaymood-Cross; Sam Gaymood-Pack; Plot-Norris; Humphrey Doddipole-Burkhead; Frankly-Bullock Jr; Lady Single-Mrs Porter; Francelia-Mrs Bradshaw; Christina-Miss Willis; Kitty-Miss Sherborn; Dol Hoyden-Mrs Willis.
Cast
Role: Christina Actor: Miss Willis
Role: Dol Hoyden Actor: Mrs Willis.

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Guardian; Or, The Cutter Of Coleman Street

Performance Comment: Jolly-Keen; Cutter-Powell; Worm-Norris; Puny-Pack; Truman-Booth; Lucia-Mrs Bradshaw; Aurelia-Mrs Saunders; Barebottle-Mrs Willis; Tabitha-Miss Willis; With a new Prologue proper to the Play-Pack.
Cast
Role: Barebottle Actor: Mrs Willis
Role: Tabitha Actor: Miss Willis

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Puritan; Or, Widow Of Walting Street

Performance Comment: cnl, but in Daily Courant, 19 June, this cast was listed: George Pyeboard-Mills; Captain Idle-Keen; NicholasSt. Antlings-Bullock; Sir Godfrey Plus-Johnson; Skirmish-Bickerstaff; Frailty-Norris; Corporal Oath-Bowen; Edmond-Pack; Sir Oliver Muckhill-Leigh; Sir John Pennyclub-Bullock Jr; Sir Andrew Tipstaff-Ryan; Puttock-Cross; Widow Plus-Mrs Willis; Molly-Miss Younger; Frances-Miss Willis; With a New Prologue-; Epilogue-.
Cast
Role: Widow Plus Actor: Mrs Willis
Role: Frances Actor: Miss Willis

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Tender Husband

Afterpiece Title: Apollo and Daphne

Performance Comment: By Mrs Margarita, Mrs Barbier, Turner, Mrs Willis. Edition of 1716 lists: Apollo-Mrs Margarita; Daphne-Mrs Barbier; Peneus-Turner; Doris-Mrs Willis.
Cast
Role: Doris Actor: Mrs Willis.

Dance: As17151122

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Relapse

Afterpiece Title: The Cobler of Preston

Performance Comment: Edition of 1716 lists: Sir Charles Briton-Rian; Captain Jolly-Walker; Constable-Leigh; Butler-Birkhead; Kit Sly-Pinkethman; Betty-Mrs Willis Jr; Cicely Gundy-Mrs Baker; Joan-Mrs Willis; Prologue-Wilks.
Cast
Role: Betty Actor: Mrs Willis Jr
Role: Joan Actor: Mrs Willis
Event Comment: Benefit Miss Willis. At the Desire of several Ladies of Quality

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Rule A Wife And Have A Wife

Afterpiece Title: The Country Wake

Song: Mimic Country Song-Mrs Willis

Dance: As17151014

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Way Of The World

Performance Comment: Fainall-Booth; Mirabel-Wilks; Witwoud-Cibber; Petulant-Boman; Sir Wilful-Penkethman; Waitwell-Leigh; Lady Wishfort-Mrs Saunders; Millamant-Mrs Oldfield; Mrs Marwood-Mrs Porter; Mrs Fainall-Mrs Horton; Foible-Mrs Willis; Mincing-Miss Willis.
Cast
Role: Foible Actor: Mrs Willis
Role: Mincing Actor: Miss Willis.

Dance: As17180114

Performances

Mainpiece Title: Love For Money; Or, The Boarding School

Performance Comment: Jack Amorous-Mills; Sir Rowland Rakehell-Johnson; Deputy Nincompoop-Norris; Will Mereton-Williams; Ned Brag-Wilds Jr; Le Prate-Miller; Coupee-Birkhead; Betty Jiltall-Mrs Garnet; Lady Addleplot-F. Leigh; Jenny-Miss Tenoe; Molly-Miss Willis; Tearshift-Mrs Moore; Myrtilla-Mrs Seymour; Lady Straddle-Mrs Willis; Crowstitch-Mrs Hunt.
Cast
Role: Molly Actor: Miss Willis
Role: Lady Straddle Actor: Mrs Willis

Dance: Green Sleeves-Miss Lindar

Performances

Mainpiece Title: The Way Of The World

Performance Comment: Fainall-Booth; Mirabel-Wilks; Sir Wilful-Penkethman; Witwoud-Cibber; Petulant-Boman; Waitwell-Leigh; Lady Wishfort-Mrs Saunders; Millamant-Mrs Oldfield; Mrs Marwood-Mrs Porter; Mrs Fainall-Mrs Horton; Foible-Mrs Willis; Mincing-Miss Willis.
Cast
Role: Foible Actor: Mrs Willis
Role: Mincing Actor: Miss Willis.

Dance: Shaw, Mrs Santlow, Topham, Mrs Tenoe