August Wilhelm Iffland

Born in Hanover, his father intended him to be a clergyman, but Iffland preferred the stage, and at eighteen ran away to Gotha in order to prepare himself for a theatrical career.

[1] He received instruction from Hans Ekhof, and made such rapid progress that he was able to accept an engagement at the theater in Mannheim in 1779, beginning his rise into prominence.

[1] Iffland produced the then contemporary, now classical works of Goethe and Schiller with conscientious care, but he had little understanding for the drama of the romantic writers.

His works show little imagination, but they display a thorough mastery of the technical necessities of the stage, and a remarkable power of devising effective situations.

Iffland was also a dramatic critic, and German actors placed high value on his reasonings and hints about their works in his Almanach für Theater und Theaterfreunde.