Born in London on 8 October 1824, he was the only son of William Caldwell Brandram. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, King's College School, and Trinity College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1846, and M.A. three years later. At university he was best known as an athlete, and also founded the initial Oxford Dramatic Society with Frank Talfourd.[1] They performed typically at the Henley Regatta; Brandram danced in Talfourd's Macbeth Travestie in 1847.[2]
After leaving Oxford Brandram became a student at Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the bar on 22 November 1850. He practised as a barrister till 1876, when for financial reasons he took work as a professional reciter, and became a popular performer. He had amateur experience to build on with the Canterbury Old Stagers and the Windsor Strollers, and had played with Albert Richard Smith and Edmund Yates among others. He gave whole or almost complete plays of Shakespeare, or Sheridan.[1]
Brandram's theories on the brisk speaking of Shakespearian dramatic verse were influential on William Poel.[3] While Brandram himself may be called a "forgotten eccentric", Poel was grateful enough to have raised funds for him, and his style of elocution formed part of Poel's drive to Shakespeare productions that were plainer and less self-consciously "poetic".[4]
Brandram died at 6 Bentinck Street, Cavendish Square, London, on 7 November 1892. He was buried three days later in Richmond cemetery.[1]
Worksedit
In 1881 Brandram published Selected Plays of Shakspeare, abridged for the use of the Young; it reached a fourth edition in 1892. Some passages were printed in full, joined by short narratives. In 1885 appeared Brandram's Speaker: a Set of Pieces in Prose and Verse suitable for Recitation, with an Introductory Essay on Elocution. It was reprinted (without the essay) in 1893, and in the same year he issued a further volume of Selections from Shakespeare.[1]
Familyedit
Brandram married Julia Murray, an actress in Charles Kean's company, and had three sons and three daughters.[1]
^James Granville Adderley, The Fight for the Drama at Oxford (1888), pp. 6–7; archive.org.
^Wearing, J. P. "Poel, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35553. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^John Russell Brown (13 May 2013). The Routledge Companion to Directors' Shakespeare. Routledge. pp. 358 and 361. ISBN978-1-134-14648-2.
samuel, brandram, 1824, 1892, english, barrister, known, later, career, professional, reciter, drama, contents, life, works, family, noteslife, editborn, london, october, 1824, only, william, caldwell, brandram, educated, merchant, taylors, school, king, colle. Samuel Brandram 1824 1892 was an English barrister known for his later career as a professional reciter of drama Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 Family 4 NotesLife editBorn in London on 8 October 1824 he was the only son of William Caldwell Brandram He was educated at Merchant Taylors School King s College School and Trinity College Oxford where he graduated B A in 1846 and M A three years later At university he was best known as an athlete and also founded the initial Oxford Dramatic Society with Frank Talfourd 1 They performed typically at the Henley Regatta Brandram danced in Talfourd s Macbeth Travestie in 1847 2 After leaving Oxford Brandram became a student at Lincoln s Inn and was called to the bar on 22 November 1850 He practised as a barrister till 1876 when for financial reasons he took work as a professional reciter and became a popular performer He had amateur experience to build on with the Canterbury Old Stagers and the Windsor Strollers and had played with Albert Richard Smith and Edmund Yates among others He gave whole or almost complete plays of Shakespeare or Sheridan 1 Brandram s theories on the brisk speaking of Shakespearian dramatic verse were influential on William Poel 3 While Brandram himself may be called a forgotten eccentric Poel was grateful enough to have raised funds for him and his style of elocution formed part of Poel s drive to Shakespeare productions that were plainer and less self consciously poetic 4 Brandram died at 6 Bentinck Street Cavendish Square London on 7 November 1892 He was buried three days later in Richmond cemetery 1 Works editIn 1881 Brandram published Selected Plays of Shakspeare abridged for the use of the Young it reached a fourth edition in 1892 Some passages were printed in full joined by short narratives In 1885 appeared Brandram s Speaker a Set of Pieces in Prose and Verse suitable for Recitation with an Introductory Essay on Elocution It was reprinted without the essay in 1893 and in the same year he issued a further volume of Selections from Shakespeare 1 Family editBrandram married Julia Murray an actress in Charles Kean s company and had three sons and three daughters 1 Notes edit a b c d e Lee Sidney ed 1901 Brandram Samuel Dictionary of National Biography 1st supplement Vol 1 London Smith Elder amp Co James Granville Adderley The Fight for the Drama at Oxford 1888 pp 6 7 archive org Wearing J P Poel William Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 35553 Subscription or UK public library membership required John Russell Brown 13 May 2013 The Routledge Companion to Directors Shakespeare Routledge pp 358 and 361 ISBN 978 1 134 14648 2 Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1901 Brandram Samuel Dictionary of National Biography 1st supplement Vol 1 London Smith Elder amp Co Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel Brandram amp oldid 1190205759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
