The Fall of the Earl of Essex

The Fall of the Earl of Essex is a 1731 tragedy by the writer James Ralph. It was inspired by Restoration-era drama The Unhappy Favourite by John Banks about the downfall of the Earl of Essex, a military commander and former favourite of Elizabeth I.

It was performed at the Goodman's Fields Theatre in Whitechapel, then attempting to challenge the two patent theatres of London. The original cast included Henry Giffard as Essex, James Rosco as Southampton, William Giffard as Burleigh, Anna Marcella Giffard as Lady Essex and Henrietta Morgan as Lady Nottingham.