Early Life and Career
Oliver was born at Salisbury, the daughter of John Oliver, a scene-painter. She first appeared on stage there when only six years old. Here and at Southampton her performances of children's parts attracted attention, until in 1847 she made her London début at the Marylebone Theatre.
Her early success gained her an engagement with Madame Vestris at the Lyceum Theatre, London, which lasted from 1849 to 1855. In 1855 she went to Drury Lane, where she soon played Matilda in Married for Money, and, in 1856, Celia in As You Like It. In the same year, her performance of Helen in the Hunchback won such praise from the critics that J. B. Buckstone offered her an engagement at the Haymarket Theatre. There she was seen in Talfourd's burlesque of Atalanta in 1857.
Accepting an offer from Miss Swanborough, she became the leading actress in comedy and burlesque at the Strand Theatre for several seasons. in 1858 she acted Amy Robsart in the burlesque of Ye Queen, ye Earl, and ye Maiden; in 1859 she was Pauline in H. J. Byron's burlesque, the Lady of Lyons and Lisetta in Talfourd's burlesque Tell and the Strike of the Cantons; and in 1860, she played the Prince in Byron's burlesque of Cinderella. At the Haymarket, in 1861, she was Mary Meredith in Our American Cousin, on Edward Askew Sothern's first appearance as Lord Dundreary in London. In 1863 she was at the Princess's Theatre, where she took the title rôle in Byron's burlesque, Beautiful Haidee.
Read more about this topic: Martha Cranmer Oliver
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