Saturday, December 5, 2015

Thomas Abthorpe Cooper Interview

Thomas Abthorpe Cooper Interview   





Interviewer: First question Sir. Could you tell me about the time place that you lived?   
 
Thomas: Yes. I was born December the sixteenth, the year 1775. The location in which I was born, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, England. Harrow-on-the-hill is an affluent area of north west London, England, it's part of the London Borough of Harrow. I went and lived with philosopher William Godwin at the age of eleven, on the death of my father and my mother going elsewhere to work, in London.   

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Apthorpe_Cooper

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrow_on_the_Hill

 William Godwin, my mother's cousin, began taking care of me. At the age sixteen I was getting ready to leave Godwin and be on my own, after being taken under his wing for about five years. I was planning on going to France to join the Republican Army. My plan was completely changed when Godwin and Thomas Holcroft quickly arranged for me apprenticeship in theatre, for the next three years, instead.    

  
Interviewer: Second question Sir. What events in your early life gave you an interest in acting?

Thomas:  Well my father passed when I was eleven years old. We, my family, had a bad financial crisis ruin because of the loss of papers documenting my fathers property. My mother had to leave me and my siblings behind with friends and relatives in England to become a housekeeper in Holland. I was placed with my mother's cousin, William Godwin, in London. William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher, and novelist.     

 Godwin trained me for the writing profession and he exposed me to the theatre through his friendship he had with playwright Thomas Holcroft. I grew intense desire, feelings, and interest for fame. These feelings of such desire and interest for fame were because of the heady world of Godwin's circle. His circle including the very fascinating poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and the actress-playwright, Elizabeth Inchbald.



Interviewer: Third question Sir. What role did mentors partake in helping you develop the interests and talents you have an artist?

Thomas:  I'm going to use Godwin, "the father of my mind," as my example for this answer. Godwin, like I said before, exposed me to theatre. Godwin and Holcroft sparked an ardor in me for the ideals of liberty and equality.  The excitement that I had helped motivate me for the many opportunities in the New World. My youthful passion filled my mind with heroic dreams that inspired me.

 In 1800 I didn't even realize that I was Americas first rising star, I was busy with acting at different places, later agreeing with a few contracts. I took a lot of parts in the theatre, and you know, the more experiencing you have with things the better you get at them. I performed in major cities and toured to every state in the union. all of these things I established simply because of the sparks I got from Godwin and Holcroft's involvement in radical politics and them getting me apprenticeship in theatre.

Interviewer: Fourth question Sir. Could you explain to me what the world of art was like in your particular art field when you entered it?

Thomas:  Well one thing about what the world of art was like, in my particular art field, when I entered is that Shakespeare plays were, and still are, very popular. I performed as a lot of Shakespeare's characters. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, 38 plays, and two narrative poems.
Shakespeare could summarize human emotions in simple yet very forceful verses.

 Shakespeare is known for being able to speak for you. Him being able to speak for you was one of the reasons he was so popular as I came into acting. Also because his plays were very, very entertaining. His very creative work went beyond the range of time and culture.

Interviewer: Fifth question sir. Can you tell me how the major cultural, economic and political situations of your time impact your work?

Thomas: One big money related problem, for me, really spiraled into something big for me. That money problem was the time when my father passed. The time my father passed we lost papers that documented my fathers property. I previously told you already about how I was sent to my mother's cousins, William Godwin, place in London. This was big for me, because of Godwin, "the father of my mind," I am a successful actor. What he was involved in and what he taught me led to me becoming an actor.

 A political situation? Well I played the role of Pierre before. Pierre is the leader of the conspiracy. He was motivated by a heroic code of honor just as much as by political intention. The play is called 'Venice Preserved'. This play is the most significant tragedy of the English stage.

 And lastly, you asked for something cultural. William Wood, an actor and manager of Chestnut Street Theatre, mentioned me in his diary that was published. Wood said, "No actor in our country ever had so long and so admired a career... . The simple length of his service gives him a place and prominence which distinguishes him from other actors." Also people say I am the "Father of the American stage" And being given a title as so isn't exactly the easiest thing to earn.

Interviewer: Sixth question Sir. What were your major accomplishments and what were some methods you used in your acting?

Thomas:  My first appearance on the stage was with Stephen Kemble's company in Edinburgh.  Later I acted at Covent Garden, London, with great success as Hamlet and Macbeth. I made my first appearance December, 1796,  in Philadelphia as Macbeth at the Chestnut Street Theatre and in August of the forthcoming year I played in the Greenwich Street Theatre, New York, as Pierre in Venice Preserved. I went back to England in 1802, for several years holding foremost rank on the English stage. In 1804 I returned to New York and soon afterward, for a while, I became lessee of the Park Theatre.

 A method I use is my heroic dreams. I use the passion that sparked in me due to the father of my mind. All of my intense desires, feelings, and dream of having fame were my method. I also relied on my natural gifts and the power of my personal magnetism. Those things led to me taking as many opportunities that I could take by giving me the mindset that I could do it.


Interviewer: Seventh question Sir. Could you name some key opportunities you had that led you to turning points in your in your life and acting?

Thomas: Bringing up my fathers death once more. When he died and my mother left I was able to learn from the father of my mind. He taught me writing, exposed me to theatre, and arranged apprenticeship at a theatre for me. Exposing me to theatre then was extremely important because if he wouldn't have done it, who would? After I did the three years of apprenticeship at the theatre he arranged for me I continued on with acting and began traveling and years later I gained my title as the "Father of the American stage."

 I attended the acting school of John Philip Kemble, Kemble whom I had rivalry with. My success as Hamlet and Macbeth led to more fame, more supporters. Successfully performed as many more characters created by William Shakespeare. Every time I performed successfully I gained supporters that helped keep me going.

Interviewer: Eighth question Sir. What obstacles did you have to get through in order to act?

Thomas: I'm gonna say some of them as a list. I had turned to the United States when I failed to receive the recognition I felt I deserved in London. Wignell filed and won a lawsuit against me. I met and surmounted all of the hardships that attend pioneer life in Alabama.

 These are my obstacles because many give up at times like these. But I didn't give up, I took as many opportunities as possible. A lot of people favored my acting over many other actors so I had to keep going. I had to work hard to keep my title as the "Father of the American stage."


Interviewer: Ninth question Sir. What personal stories best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?

Thomas: You have the letters I sent out to Godwin, the "Father of my mind." Titles of some biographies on me are titled  'A Memoir of the Professional Life of Thomas Abthorpe Cooper' by Joseph Norton Ireland, 'Thomas Abthorpe Cooper: Father of the American Stage, 1775-1849' by F. Arant Maginnes, and many more. They are all simply explaining the details of my life from when I was a kid all the way through my many accomplishments and obstacles. These all give accurate info on my life for those in need of information about me.

 The book 'Thomas Abthorpe Cooper: America's Premier Tragedian' by Greddeth Smith has letters, like the other books I said to you before, that I sent to Godwin. All of these books pretty much talking about how I reached fame, where I traveled, who I portrayed the part of in which ever play, and etc.
They include my early life, who, and what got me into acting as well. All of these show how I progressed over the many years of me being an actor.

Interviewer: Question number ten, last question Sir. How did your work impact the world of art?

Thomas: Well, I performed as many characters successfully. I have toured in all states in the union. I earned the title as the "Father of the American stage." William Wood even said that I have worked for a long time, longer than many.

I was the big transitional figure between the American and Britain stage and I also contributed greatly to the development of American theater. I am the first american star. I had many who favored me and my acting skills. Many enjoyed Shakespeares when I performed it.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for your time Sir.

Thomas: You're welcome!





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2 comments:

  1. saidur rahmanApril 2, 2020 at 8:50 AM

    https://murnikhalishah.blogspot.com/2015/03/donia-abaya_2.html?showComment=1585842585484#c9172852374564098106

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  2. saidur rahmanApril 2, 2020 at 8:50 AM

    https://murnikhalishah.blogspot.com/2015/03/donia-abaya_2.html?showComment=1585842585484#c9172852374564098106

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