Arabella Menage

Arabella Menage (5 July 1782 – 9 January 1817), also known as Mrs. Sharp, was a British actress and ballet dancer. She was the wife of the artist Michael William Sharp.

Early life 'Bella' Menage was born in 1782 in London, one of at least four children born to Theatre Royal, Drury Lane chorus dancer Mons. Antoine 'Anthony' Menage (died c1818) and his wife Arabella née Moore (c1762–1827), who had married in London in 1778. Born into a family of dancers, on 25 July 1782 she was baptised at St Anne's church in Soho in London. Her brother Frederick Menage (1788–1822) was also a dancer at Drury Lane, finding fame as Chimpanzee in the pantomime Perouse, or the Desolate Island at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden (1801). A younger brother was James Vincent Menage (1790–1865).

Thomas Gilliland’s The Dramatic Mirror (1808) mentions that Bella Menage was "brought upon the stage in infancy", having been trained by Charles Didelot and James Harvey D'Egville, the latter making her "accomplished" in the hornpipe. In April 1796 she danced Aladdin in the opera Mahmoud at Drury Lane.

By 1798–1799 Menage was appearing regularly at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and was in Little Fanny's Love and The Lover's True Knot. she married Michael William Sharp, a successful portrait painter and a former student of Sir William Beechey. Sharp was distantly related to Mrs. Siddons, who said the forthcoming marriage "will afflict his poor Mother and Sister." As Mrs. Sharp her stage career continued until at least the 1811–1812 season.

Arabella Menage Sharp died at her home in Duke Street, Portland Place in January 1817 aged 34. She was buried at the church of St George's, Hanover Square later that month.