Adventures in Nineteenth-Century Gender-Bending: Lady Emilia Don in Tasmania, 1862 and 1865.

Travel; Stage actors & actresses; Don, Emilia; Don, William Henry; Spouses' legal relationship; Literary characters

The article focuses on the tours to Australia made by stage actress Lady Emilia Don during the nineteenth century which were reported in detail by the mass media. It was believed that Emilia and her husband Sir William Henry Don used their titles as a tactic for self-promotion. It was reported that her concentration on comic pieces and her new approach to acting resulted from the death of her husband. "The Married Rake" showcased her skills at playing both female and male roles.