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Edward Kynaston (c.1640 - January 1706) was an English actor
Kynaston was one of the last Restoration actors to play women's
roles. He was a good looking young man and made a convincing woman:
Samuel Pepys called him "the loveliest lady that ever I saw in my life" after witnessing a production of 'The Loyal Subject', "only her voice not very good". Pepys had dinner with Kynaston after this production of August 1660.
Part of Kynaston's appeal must have been his ambiguous sexuality.
The actor Colley Cibber recalled: "the Ladies of Quality prided themselves in taking him with them in their Coaches to Hyde-Park in his Theatrical Habit, after the Play". Cibber also reported that a performance of a tragedy attended by Charles II was once delayed because, as someone explained, Kynaston, who was playing the Queen, "was not shav'd".
In the 1660s women were permitted to appear on stage and actors playing female roles in serious drama was strongly discouraged. Kynasaton's last female role was in Beaumont and Fletcher's 'Maid's Tragedy' with Killigrew's Company in 1661. Kynaston went on to make a successful career in male roles and was noted for his portrayal of Shakespeare's Henry IV. He retired in 1699.
Kynaston is portrayed by Billy Crudup in the 2004 film Stage Beauty directed by Sir Richard Eyre. The film is an adaptation of the play 'Compleat Female Stage Beauty' by Jeffrey Hatcher.
See also
Reference to Kynaston in Pepys' diary (http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1660/08/18/index.php)
Restoration theatre
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