Editing David Garrick (section)

== Professional actor ==
[[File:Joshua Reynolds, David Garrick between Tragedy and Comedy, 1760-61 at Waddesdon Manor.jpg|alt=Joshua Reynolds, ''David Garrick Between Tragedy and Comedy'', 1760–61 at Waddesdon Manor|left|thumb|Joshua Reynolds, ''[[David Garrick Between Tragedy and Comedy]]'', 1760–61 at [[Waddesdon Manor]]]]
[[File:Garrick wager MM-2-PE-EA-19.jpg|alt=Image of a document in 18th century handwriting that shows at least two sets of handwriting, including David Garrick's signature|thumb|Wager between Mr Bedford and Mr Williams (for two gallons of claret) that Mr Garrick did not act upon the stage before 1732, countersigned by David Garrick that he first acted at [[Goodman's Fields Theatre|Goodman’s Fields Theatre]] in the year 1741; image from [[University of Bristol Theatre Collection]].]]
He made his debut as a professional actor on a summer tour to [[Ipswich]] with Giffard's troupe in 1741, where he played Aboan in [[Oroonoko]] at the theatre in Tankard Street. He appeared under the stage name ''Lyddal'' to avoid the consternation of his family.{{sfn|Holland|1995|p=411}} But, while he was successful under Giffard, the managers of Drury Lane and [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]] rejected him.<ref name="Hartnoll 1983, p. 315" /> On 19 October 1741, Garrick appeared in the title role of ''Richard III''. He had been coached in the role by the actor and playwright [[Charles Macklin]] and his natural performance, which rejected the declamatory acting style so prevalent in the period, soon was the talk of London. Of his performance at Goodman's Fields, [[Horace Walpole]] remarked, "there was a dozen dukes a night at Goodman's Fields".{{sfn|Carruthers|Ward|1911|pp=475–477}} Following his rousing performance, Garrick wrote to his brother requesting withdrawal from the partnership to devote his time completely to the stage. Having found success with Richard III, Garrick moved on to several other roles including [[The History of King Lear|Tate's adaptation]] of Shakespeare's ''[[King Lear]]'' and Pierre in [[Thomas Otway|Otway's]] ''[[Venice Preserv'd]]'' as well as comic roles such as Bayes in [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham|Buckingham's]] ''[[The Rehearsal (play)|The Rehearsal]]''; a total of 18 roles in all in just the first six months of his acting career. His success led [[Alexander Pope]], who saw him perform three times during this period, to surmise, "that young man never had his equal as an actor, and he will never have a rival".{{sfn|Carruthers|Ward|1911|pp=475–477}}

With his success at Goodman's Fields, Charles Fleetwood, manager of Drury Lane, engaged Garrick to play Chaumont in Otway's ''The Orphan'' (a role he first played in Ipswich){{sfn|Woods|1996|p=291}} on 11 May 1742 while he used his [[letters patent]] to close down Giffard's theatre.{{sfn|Hartnoll|1983|p=231}} That same month, Garrick played King Lear opposite [[Margaret Woffington|Margaret "Peg" Woffington]] as [[Cordelia]] and his popular Richard III.{{sfn|Kendall|1985|p=27}} With these successes, Fleetwood engaged Garrick for the full 1742–43 season.<ref name="Hartnoll 1983, p. 315" />