E.F.Saville came from a theatrical family, the son of Saville Faucit, a playwright, actor and author of sensational 'penny dreadfuls', and the brother of the actress Helen Faucit. In the mid 1840s he made a hit as the villainous Bill Sykes in the popular drama Oliver Twist, or The Parish Boy's Progress which he played at the City of London Theatre at the Old Vic Theatre, sensationally killing Nancy in the last scene, smearing her with red ochre for blood and dragging her round the stage by the hair.

E.F.Saville could also make a convincing hero, as in the title role of Union Jack; or, The Crew of the Bright Blue Wave, written by William Rogers, 1842. Spectacular nautical dramas had become a mania on the London stage in the 1820s, and the role of Union Jack was created by Saville's contemporary, the great actor of nautical roles T.P. Cooke. Nautical dramas were hugely patriotic and jingoistic, but immensely popular. Most projected an extremely unrealistic image of life at sea for the British sailor - showing the dangers encountered, but emphasising the courage of the British 'tar' and the joys of a triumphant return to England.