Book Review: Ira Aldridge - Famous Speeches

 Book Review from London Socialist Historians Group Newsletter 71 (Autumn 2020)

Ira Aldridge: Famous Speeches 

By Martin Hoyles 

Hansib Publications 2019 

ISBN 978-1912662029 

Paperback 280pp 

I was pleased to welcome Martin Hoyles back to speak to the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research on 17 February. Martin had previously spoken to the seminar on his book on the black Chartist William Cuffay, the 150th anniversary of whose death is being marked in 2020. On this occasion he came to speak on his most recent book on the Victorian black actor and activist Ira Aldridge. My review has been due or overdue for some months but I felt it would be more interesting all round to wait for the seminar and I think that it was indeed useful in being able to focus on the key focus and impact of the book. That is not just in terms of Ira Aldridge himself but also some wider points on historical research and what it can tell us. 

Ira Aldridge (1807-1867) was born in New York and learnt his trade as an actor in the early 1820s. However, fed up with racism and discrimination he managed to get to England and by October 1825 he had progressed to playing the lead role in a production at the Royal Coburg Theatre in London. The same theatre is still in use as the Old Vic. Aldridge played a variety of roles, often Shakespearian, throughout a lengthy career in both Britain and the rest of Europe and became an internationally acclaimed actor. Having played on over 250 stages he was certainly the most famous actor of the early Victorian period. He played the black roles of Othello and the Moor in Titus Adronicus. He also whited up to play Macbeth, King Lear and Richard III but did not whiten his hands. He played both male and female roles and in 20 years of touring England and Ireland had a considerable influence on nineteenth century acting. 

Martin Hoyles has researched Aldridge’s numerous stage appearances, who he played, where and when, and brought the information together in the book. The book is important for anyone interested in the history of theatre and particularly black theatre. But its interest lies much wider than that. Hoyles makes the historical links between Aldridge, progressive politics in the Victorian era and the impact of Aldridge’s legacy as one of the first internationally prominent black actors. While there is no evidence that Aldridge was connected with the Chartist movement between 1830 and 1861 he sent money back to the US to help free slaves and during the Civil War he donated 50% of his earnings to the fight against slavery. His role as a black actor playing Othello in 1833 was an influence on Parliamentary legislation to end slavery in British colonies. 

One of the first black actors to play Othello after Aldridge was Paul Robeson. Aldridge’s daughter Amanda gave voice training to Robeson before he played Othello in a production also featuring Peggy Ashcroft in 1930. CLR James, who also played Othello, saw Aldridge as an inspirational figure. A plaque to Aldridge was put up at the Old Vic in 2004 but, as Martin Hoyles points out, the battle to make his example and relevance to 2020 known continues, hence the importance of this new book. 

Keith Flett