William Charles Macready (3 March 1793 – 27 April 1873) was a distinguished English stage actor and theatre manager whose legacy endures. A former pupil of Rugby School, he is commemorated through the Macready Theatre, named in his honour.

Early Life and Education

Macready was born in London, the son of Irish actor-manager William Macready the Elder and actress Christina Ann Birch. He was educated at Rugby School under Dr Wooll, where he excelled as a scholar and became Head Boy. Initially destined for a career in law or the Church, financial difficulties forced him to leave Rugby at the age of sixteen to assist his father in theatrical management.

A Theatrical Journey

Macready made his stage debut on 7 June 1810 as Romeo in Birmingham, marking the beginning of a remarkable career. Following a break with his father, he moved to Bath in 1814, performing across provincial theatres before making his London debut at Covent Garden in 1816 in The Distressed Mother. Critics, including William Hazlitt, hailed him as one of the greatest tragic actors of his time, second only to Edmund Kean.

Throughout his career, Macready was renowned for his commitment to historical accuracy in Shakespearean productions. He restored the Fool to King Lear and reinstated Shakespeare’s tragic ending, with his portrayal of the Scottish king in Macbeth widely considered his finest role.

Macready's perfectionism and stormy temperament led to numerous rivalries and disputes, including a notorious conflict with his manager, Mr Bunn, and a long-standing feud with the American actor Edwin Forrest, which culminated in riots during his final U.S tour.

Legacy and Connection to Rugby School

Although he seldom returned to Rugby School, Macready maintained a deep affection for the place of his early education. In 1848, he visited Rugby School to deliver a reading of Hamlet in the Great School Room, raising over £50 for the Shakespeare Fund. He inquired about theatrical props from his schooldays, but none had survived.

Macready retired from the stage in 1851 and spent his later years in Sherborne, dedicating himself to education—a cause he passionately supported. He was also an advanced Liberal and a close friend of Charles Dickens, who dedicated his novel Nicholas Nickleby to him. In a letter written to Macready in 1847, Dickens comments “I know you for a great man”.

The Macready Theatre

Today, Macready’s name is immortalised at Rugby School through the Macready Theatre, which serves as a creative hub for students and professionals alike. Designed by William Butterfield and completed in 1885, the theatre was originally known as 'New Big School' before being converted into a theatre in 1975. Though it remained a school facility for decades, it was officially opened to the public in December 2018, allowing a wider audience to engage with the arts.

William Charles Macready was not only a celebrated actor but also a reformer who sought to elevate theatrical standards. His commitment to artistic excellence and intellectual inquiry remains a source of pride for Rugby School.

Last Visit of W. C. Macready, by Matthew Bloxam, The Meteor, 22 March 1884

“During the five years and a half Mr W. C. Macready was at Rugby, he had risen from the last but two in the School to a high position in the Sixth Form. He was then under sixteen years of age. On his return home for the holidays of the winter, 1808-9, he was not at first apprised of the financial difficulties under which his father was labouring from the unsuccessful issue of a theatrical adventure. On this being made known to him, and to relieve his father, he abandoned his intention of returning to Rugby, and his long-cherished hopes of success at the Bar, and resolved upon taking up the stage as a profession. He did not, however, make his appearance on any regular stage till 7 June 1810, he being then early in his 18th year, when the playbill of the Birmingham Theatre, in announcing the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, gave out: ‘The part of Romeo by a young gentleman, being his first appearance on any stage.’ On this occasion, his old master at Rugby, Dr Wooll, posted in his carriage to Birmingham to see him act, returning after the performance was over in time for first lesson the following morning.”