Theophilus Keene

Theophilus Keene (1680-1718) was a British stage actor and theatre manager.

Keene was from a Presbyterian background. He originally began acting at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. Having arrived in London from Ireland in 1704, he appeared as part of the company at the Drury Lane Theatre until 1714. Along with Christopher Bullock he took over the management of the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in 1717, at the time one of two patent theatres in London. The co-managers worked together for one season after replacing the "broke" John Rich before Keene's death after a fall from a horse while riding in the county.

Following his death in 1718 a biography of him Memoirs of the Life of Mr. Theophilus Keene was produced by Richard Savage.

Selected roles

• Winwife in The Artful Husband by William Taverner (1717)