A minor Restoration playwright, son of the Late Endymion Porter, old friend of Davenant. Tom Porter was author of four plays produced in high-profile London venues, with many songs — 1. the highly popular The Villain, a Tragedy (1662), first performed 18 October 1662 at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre (called 'The Dukes House'); 2. The Carnival; a Comedy, 1663, '64; 3. Witty Combat; a Tragi-Comedy, 1663; 4. The French Conjurer; a Comedy, 1678.
PORTER, THOMAS (1636-1680), dramatist; son of Endymion Porter; imprisoned (1655) for abducting Anne, daughter of Mountjoy Blount, earl of Newport; his tragedy,' The Villain' (acted 1662, published 1663), thought deficient in fancy by the diarist Pepys. ---Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome. S. Lee, 1906.
3 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Thomas Porter
A minor Restoration playwright, son of the Late Endymion Porter, old friend of Davenant. Tom Porter was author of four plays produced in high-profile London venues, with many songs — 1. the highly popular The Villain, a Tragedy (1662), first performed 18 October 1662 at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre (called 'The Dukes House'); 2. The Carnival; a Comedy, 1663, '64; 3. Witty Combat; a Tragi-Comedy, 1663; 4. The French Conjurer; a Comedy, 1678.
Notice of the immediate success and staying-power of "The Villain": http://www.jstor.org/pss/450536
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Thomas Porter (1636 – 1680) was an English dramatist and duellist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tho…
Bill • Link
PORTER, THOMAS (1636-1680), dramatist; son of Endymion Porter; imprisoned (1655) for abducting Anne, daughter of Mountjoy Blount, earl of Newport; his tragedy,' The Villain' (acted 1662, published 1663), thought deficient in fancy by the diarist Pepys.
---Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome. S. Lee, 1906.