Thomas ‘Jupiter' Harris (Spinning dark intrigue at Covent Garden theatre, 1767-1820)

This is the first biography of Thomas Harris. Until now, little has been known about his life. He was most visible as the man who controlled Covent Garden theatre for nearly five decades, one of only two venues in London allowed by law to perform spoken drama. But this career was only one of many: he became the confidant of George III, a philanthropist, sexual suspect, and a brothel owner in the underworld of Covent Garden. While deeply involved in Pitt the Younger’s government, Harris worked as a ‘spin doctor’ to control the release of government news. As novelists created elaborate storylines with fictional intriguers lurking in the shadows, Harris was the real thing. In this lively recreation of life in Georgian London — social, political, sexual, theatrical — his career intersects many of the hidden worlds of the eighteenth century. This narrative of detection brings together a hoard of newly discovered manuscripts to construct his many lives.