Born: 1791, Ireland
Died: 29 October 1872
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Lady Wrixon-Becher
This biography is republished from The Dictionary of Irish Biography and was written by Frances Clarke. Shared by permission in line with Creative Commons ‘Attribution’ (CC BY) licencing.
O’Neill, Eliza (Lady Wrixon-Becher) (1791–1872), actress, was born in Drogheda, Co. Louth. Both her father (John O’Neill, manager of a Drogheda theatre) and mother (formerly a Miss Featherstone) were actors, and she, like her sister and three brothers, performed on the stage from an early age, leaving her little chance of receiving any formal education. She made her debut in Drogheda, playing the young duke of York alongside her father in a production of ‘Richard II’. After several years acting in Drogheda and Dundalk, her first break came when as a teenager she was spotted by the Belfast theatre-manager Montague Talbot, who recruited her for his company. In doing so he was forced to take on the rest of her family. Remaining in Belfast for a further two years, she also worked in Newry alongside Charles Mathews in a production of O’Keefe’s ‘Cowslip’. Impressed by her ability, Mathews recommended her to the management of Dublin’s Crow Street Theatre, where she first appeared in the part of the Widow Cheerly in ‘The soldier’s daughter’ (1811). She remained with the company for two further seasons, adding parts such as Portia, Lady Teazle, and Jane Shore to her repertoire, yet it was in the role of Juliet that she really excelled. During a tour of the provinces at the close of the Dublin season she caught the eye of Charles Kemble, then working in Ireland. Through his contacts she secured an engagement at the Covent Garden Theatre, London, where she made a triumphant debut as Juliet (6 October 1814). Her performance proved so popular that the audience, on hearing that another play was scheduled for the following evening, shouted for another performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – the first of many repeats that season.
Once established, for the next five years O’Neill was without question regarded as the foremost tragic actress on the London stage and a worthy successor to the recently retired Sarah Siddons. Admired as much for the force of her acting as for her elegant Grecian profile, her performances were said to induce spectators to hysterics and fainting fits. Hazlitt, commenting on her dominance, wrote: ‘In truth, in beauty, and in the irresistible pathos which goes directly to the heart, she has at present no equal, and can have no superior’ (Fyvie, 311). Among her other admirers were Richard Lalor Sheil, who created the title role in ‘Adelaide, or the emigrant’ (1814) and the part of Florinda in ‘The apostate’ (May 1817) for her, and Shelley, who wrote his tragedy ‘The Cenci’ with both O’Neill and Edmund Kean in mind. She was, however, probably better known for her successful performances in roles such as Desdemona, Isabella (‘The fatal marriage’), Belvidera (‘Venice preserved’), Mrs Beverley (‘The gamester’), Monima (‘The orphan’) and Mrs Haller (‘The stranger’). She also attempted comedy, taking on parts such as Mrs Oakly and Lady Townly, but seems to have been unsuited for such work. Though she was one of the best-paid actors of her generation, she earned a reputation for meanness, and is said to have avoided playing for charity. This may have had much to do with the train of relatives who relied on her for financial support. Nevertheless, Thackeray included this in his unflattering portrait of ‘Emily Costigan’, a young, beautiful, and uneducated Irish actress, who takes London by storm, in his novel Pendennis (1849–50).
At the very height of her popularity in London, O’Neill chose to retire from the stage. Having made her last appearance in Covent Garden as Mrs Haller (July 1819), she returned to Ireland for several appearances as Desdemona, Juliet, and Belvidera at the Kilkenny private theatre (21–3 October 1819) before travelling to Dublin to conclude her stage career in a production of ‘The gamester’. First listed as performing in Kilkenny in 1812, she there met her husband (Sir) William Wrixon-Becher (1780–1850). A wealthy, improving landlord and MP (1818–26) for Mallow, Co. Cork, he was also a keen amateur actor who regularly took part in the Kilkenny productions. After their marriage (18 Dec. 1819) she settled the estimated £30,000 she had earned throughout her career on her family. The mother of three sons and two daughters, she spent the greater part of her retirement at her family home in Ballygiblin, Co. Cork, where she died 29 October 1872. Her portrait was painted by, among others, Thomas Clement Thompson (NGI), John James Masqurier (c.1815; National Portrait Gallery, London), George Francis Joseph ‘as the tragic muse’ (Garrick Club, London), and A. W. Devis as Belvidera (1816; Wolverhampton Art Gallery).