Sarah Bezra Nicol

Sarah Bezra Nicol (died 1834 or after) was a British actress who became known for playing older women character roles in Edinburgh.

Life Sarah's birth name is unknown. At the end of the 18th century, she was first noticed as a servant to Colonel and the Hon. Mrs Milner. They encouraged her after she joined an amateur dramatic society known as the "Shakespearean Society of London" which put on plays in a small theatre in Tottenham Court Road. The Milners saw her appear in Venice Preserv'd and they supported her in her ambitions and she went on to act outside London. She soon became "Mrs. Nicol" – her husband worked as a printer – and this was the name under which all her subsequent work was done. In 1800 she gave birth to Emma Nicol who was the first of four daughters who were to become actresses.

By 1807 she was the character actress of choice for old woman roles at the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh, and in the following year she had her first benefit performance. Mrs Nicol appeared with Henry Siddons at the New Theatre Royal on Leith Walk and she went on play character roles like Mrs Malaprop. Mrs Nicol played the role of Jean McAlpine in the play and when King George IV visited Scotland he saw Rob Roy and she was still in that role.

In 1823 Mrs Nicol was engraved as Miss Grizelda Oldbuck by William Home Lizars. She had played that part at the Theatre Royal in an adaptation of Walter Scott's novel The Antiquary.

By 1833 she was too elderly to get regular work and she died sometime after her farewell performance at a benefit in 1834.