John Banks · aftercurtain

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Cyrus the Great

Writer · Play · 1695

Cyrus the Great is a 1695 tragedy by the British writer John Banks. It was his final work, although his earlier The Island Queens was staged several years later. Set at the court of the Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great, it was staged by Thomas Betterton's Company having previously been rejected by the United Company. John Downes described it as one of the "principal new plays" of the decade, although it did not enjoy many performances on stage. The original cast included Thomas Smith as Cyaxeres, Edward Kynaston as Hystaspes, John Bowman as Craesus, John Thurmond as Artabasus, Elizabeth Barry as Panthea and Anne Bracegirdle as Lausaria. The play used the innovation of casting Barry as the romantic object of Cyrus' love, while Bracegirdle is besotted with him and driven to distraction by his rejection.

The Destruction of Troy

Writer · Play · 1678

Ulysses devises a plan to steal the statue of Minerva that has provided Troy security throughout the war. To do this, the Greeks bribe a Trojan soldier, Antenor, for access to the temple wherein Minerva is located. Afterwards, Ulysses is praised by his fellow generals and soldiers. Angered because he feels he has gotten no credit for his help in physically stealing the statue, Achilles refuses to continue participating in the war. Both the Greeks and the Trojans agree to a three-day truce before a round of one-on-one duels. On the day of the duels, Cassandra warns her brothers, Hector and Troilus, that they will be killed in battle, but both dismiss her warnings. After Hector kills Patroclus, a Greek soldier, Achilles swears revenge but is restrained. Soon afterwards, the Greeks invade the Trojan camps. In the process, Achilles, who has now resumed fighting, kills Hector offstage. As he is rejoicing, he catches sight of Polyxena, Hector's sister, whom he falls in love with at first sight. Priam, King of Troy, arranges a marriage between the two as a way of securing peace. Meanwhile, Ulysses and his fellow princes and generals devise a plan to overtake Troy: the Greeks will deliver a giant wooden horse to the Trojans as a supposed wedding gift, but in reality, it is a device used to hide Greek soldiers who will then exit the interior of the horse and destroy Troy. On the day of the wedding, Paris vows revenge against Achilles for killing Hector, which he achieves when he murders Achilles by shooting his ankle with an arrow. At the moment Achilles is killed, Ulysses's plans come to fruition. Andromache burns to death offstage.

The Fall of the Earl of Essex

Original play · Play · 1731

At Elizabeth I's court, the Earl of Essex is imprisoned after negotiating a truce in Ireland. Lady Nottingham withholds the Queen's token that could secure his appeal, leading Elizabeth to order his execution.

The Unhappy Favourite

Writer · Play · 1681

The Unhappy Favourite; Or, The Earl Of Essex is a 1681 tragedy by the English writer John Banks. It was originally staged by the King's Company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. It portrays the downfall of the Earl of Essex, favourite of Elizabeth I, and his subsequent execution following Essex's Rebellion. The first Drury Lane cast included Thomas Clark as The Earl of Essex, Philip Griffin as Earl of Southampton, Michael Mohun as Burleigh, Thomas Disney as Sir Walter Raleigh, Anne Marshall as Queen Elizabeth, Sarah Cooke as Countess of Rutland and Mary Corbett as Countess of Nottingham. John Dryden wrote a special prologue for a performance attended by Charles II and his wife Catherine of Braganza. Banks dedicated the published version of 1682 to Princess Anne, niece of the king, who herself later came to the throne. The play was revived numerous times during the following century. In 1731 James Ralph wrote The Fall of the Earl of Essex, borrowing heavily from Banks.

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