Hodgkinson Narrative of his Connection with the Old American Company THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES NARRATIVE OS HIS CONNECTION WITH T'lE OLD AMERICA. COMPANY, FROM THE FIFTH SEPTEMBER, 1792, TO THE THIRTY-FIRST OF MARCH, 1797, BY JOHN HODGKINSON. BY J. ORAM, XO. 33, NARRATIVE, &c. ON the 29th of March I was prevented from going on with my Character for the Evening, by a Part of the Audience calling for Mrs. Hallam, formerly an Aftrefs in the Company, but who, for Reafons which will hereafter appear, was no longer under any En gagements. Mrs. Hallam, contrary to the Regulations of the Theatre, and to an exprefs Article figned by Mr. HaHam, came through the private Door into the Theatre, and, on the Stage, where me was fupported by Mr. Hallam, a Performer and principal Proprietor of the Theatre, who addrefled the Audience, and obtained Permifiion for her to read a Paper intended for their hearing ; the Purport of which was, a Complaint of having been driven unjuftly from the Stage, after having been ten Years on it, without any fuffitient Caufe ; intimating all this had been effected by my Agency. In the Confufion which followed, I was not allowed to juftify myfelf. After fome Time, I fubmitted, engaging to exculpate myfelf by a Publication in the Papers, or elfewhere. THE Proceedings of this Evening, in Connection with what had patted in the Courfe of the Winter, left no Room to doubt of Concert between fome of the Spec tators and Mr. and Mrs. Hallam. ON the 3 1 ft, a ftill larger Party attended the Repre- fentation at the Theatre, with an apparent Determination to prejudge and condem me. Marks of this Determi nation were fo renew'd and repeated, that I thought it no longer pofilble for me to continue on the Stage. It re mains for me to fulfil my Engagement with the Public : For thisEurpofe I fnall exhibit a brief Narrative of my whole Connection with the American Theatres. The Refuk [ 4 1 Refult will mew, that fo far from having conducted un- juftly towards Mrs. Hallam, and the Public, in Regard to her, that Ihe has been the Source of the principal Troubles which have arifen : that my Conduct in this Refpect, at leaft, has been becoming my Situation, and that it is I, and not me or Mr. Hallam, who have been injured on the prefent Occafion. I was engaged from one of the firft Theatres in Eng land, by the late Mr. Jchn Henry, as a principal Per former for the New- York and Philadelphia Theatres, and arrived in this Country September 5th, 1792. An Idea inftilled into me, that every Article of Life was full as cheap again here as there, made me accept a more moderate Salary than I mould have done, had I been rightly informed. I was to remain for two Years and fix Months, at three Guineas and a Half weekly ; to be fccured to me for ten Months in the Year. This Con tract I fulfilled on my Part, though violated in feveral Inflances by the Managers, Hallam and Henry, and eleven Weeks of Salary due at this Hour to me and my Family fro ,11 them, on my original Agreements. I found the Theatre under Regulations widely dif ferent from my Expectations ; the Managers and their Families did not know each other out of the Profeflion ; and when they met in it, their whole Study feemed to be the fowing Diflcntions and creating different Interefts a Syftem of Government avowed and recommended by Mr. Hallam. The Confequence of this was Neg ligence, Party, and Strife. I foon was given to under- ftand that this had ah-jays been the Cafe. Mr. Henry' % Conclua and Behaviour feemed fo different from the Gentleman, I had converted with in England, that I could not avoid forming Prejudices againft him, and in favour of Hallam. This Mr. Henry law, and took an Opportunity of telling me I misjudg'd him j and that Mr. Hallam, though appearing perfectly mild and cin- ciid, v gave him every Difqui- r aru! "vlilervj and had utterly broke his Temper. The Want of Unani mity [ 5 1 mky at laft extended to a total Subversion of all Order: Pieces were given out, and no Manager attended to point a fmgle Direction. The Orcheftra was compofed of about fix Muficians, fome of whom were incapable of their Bufmefs; and had I not been induced by Confider- ations for my own Reputation as an Actor, to take Care that the Stage Department was not totally deftroyed where I was concern 'd, this neglect would have been more apparent than it was ! Notwithftanding my Exertions, the Theatre was nearly deferted. Mr. Henry faid he could not exiil under fuch Torment longer, and offered to fell his Share of the Property. I urged Mr. Hallam to negotiate for it, and offered to become aPurchafer after ward from him, and that I would undertake the conduct ing of the Theatre. The Terms of Sale were left for Mr. Hal/am to arrange with a Friend of Mr. Henry's; and at this Period I law a Letter of his, requefling a fpeedy End to the Bufinefs ; for that, fooner than be concerned any longer where Mrs. Hallam was, he would tranfport fiimfelf to Btotany Bay. I deemed this the Effect of violent Anger r Prejudice, and fuffered it to make no Impreffion on my Mind at the Time. IN the Month of May, 1794, Mr. Henry fold to Mr. Hallam all his Share of the theatrical Property within the United States of America, for .4000, payable by four annual Initalments of icoo each. IN the fame Month, I purchafed from Lewis Hallam one Half the Property of the Old American Company within the United States, for 4000, payable by four annual Inftalments of 1000 each. DURING the Summer, I endeavoured to make fuch Ad ditions to the Company as were neceffary; and on the 22d of September commenced my unfortunate Career as a Manager and Proprietor in the City of Philadelphia. On the 2oth October, Mrs. Hdlam performed Lady Racketf, in too degraded a State to be feen ; and on obferving that fome of the Ladies of the Theatre noticed her Situation, gave them ill Language, and finifhed with this ExprefTion Wretches teat I iupport by my Labours!" October, in a violent Fit of Intern- was quarreling with Mr. Ajhton, a Mem I he Company; and as the Performance of n Wild O.':s," was then proceeding, I mildly interfered, and begged her for the Prefent to treat whatever the iicr was as not worth her Notice. She immediately commenced a ftrain of Inveclive and Abufe, fuch as I >\ never heard, or ever did expect to hear, from the Mouth of a Female: Rejcc.ll Scoundrel! Swindler of her I lufband's Property! and other Epithets equally unjuft, for two Hours v/ns I baited with ; and during the Per formance of the After-piece, ' Don Juan/' every Mock and Ridicule that could be was cafb on my Endeavours to conduct lb troublefome a Pantomime to its Clofe. Some of the Performers then with us, ftill remain. ON the Morning of the 2801, I wrote Mr. Hallc.m a Let:t:r to the following; Effect : " That having taken ^J O twelve Hours to paufe on the unmerited Treatment I had received, I muft beg to decline any further official Capacity in the Old American Company : obferving, that the Property had been lb little a T^rne in my Hands; Mr. Plallan could receive no Inconveniency by accept- it back en the fame Terms I had purchs.fed ; that I hud no \Yifh to diirrefs him by an immediate Re- ^ai, b'.it would itry \virh him upon the Fulfilment of my cri !i c.s to the Expiration of them, :h'_ fbllowing York Seaibn." To tliis Letter Mr. Hallam wrote the following; : b " Dear Sir, '* I cannot anfwer you I have not clofed my Eyes " from the Circiv. 01 lafl Night Will you meet / Tavern, and we will dine alone ?" , to the Theatre, to conduct the Re- Time after my Arrival there ;e from Mrs. Hallam that me was at i .--erne. I returned for anfwer, I [ 7 ] I was at the Theatre, and could not attend Mrs. Hatiam. She fent my Servant back to fay fne muft fee me, and that if I would not wait on her then, (he would remain till I fhould come Home. I determined on feeing her : She began with Tears, a very ftrong Apology for her Con- dud, and faid fne was utterly ruined with Mr. Hc.llam if 1 periifted in refigning the Property. I afked her if me remembered the Events of the preceding Evening ? She replied, me had no Recollection of them, and that my Letter to her Hufband was a Thunderbolt to her. I repeated the Epithets me had made ufe of, and fi\efe.emed very much fhock'd. She begged my forgetfulnefs of the pail, folemnly aflerting me mould look upon herfcUf as the vcricft Wretch exifbing, mould me ever, by fimikr Imprudence, rifle a future Mifunderflanding. I forgave her fincerely, and we parted. I dined the fame Day at a Tavern, with Mr. Hallatn, according to his Appoint ment, who feemed, and I believe was moft fejafibly affect ed, and I recollect made ufe of the following Expreffion : " I know that Girl fo well, I'm fure me never will for- " give herfelf, or drink any Thing but Water as long as " me lives." I told Mr. Hallam, it was a Failing that, if not put an effectual Stop to, would deftroy every Pof- fibility of my Continuance in the Company, or Manage ment. I proceeded, as ufual, in my Capacity of Acting- Manager, and on the I4th of November me was again intemperate and abufive when performing Lady Fan- court, in the Comedy of " Love's Frailties." My Wife alfo now began to feel the Effects of her Pride, and was frequently treated with every Contempt. I clofed that Theatre on the 4th of December, after ten Weeks of woeful managerial Experience. I commenced in New-York, December 15th, and on the 2Oth Mrs. Hallam was again in a State which incapacitated her for performing Mifs Wallingham, in. the e, &c. This Agreement relervable only ai ^T- lc Option of the Parties. C t >s ] I will take Two Thoufand Five Hundred Dollars, " for the Ufe of my Share and Property, up to the Day " of the Date above-mentioned j leaving you to take all " Profits, &c. as before ftated. " You have now your Choice, to adopt or reject ; orie (C of which I expect will be determin'd on immediately. " I am, Sir, sff. JOHN HODGKINSON." New-Tcrk, 1 June 17, 1796. j Mr. Pbilip Ten Eyck, was kind enough to bear this Let ter :andfome Time after I met him in Broadway, when I was in Company with an Agent, who had arriv'd from PhikdelpMa to complete my Engagements for that City : I enquir'd Mr. Hallam^ Determination, and was told he wifned fome Days for Confideration. I inform 'd Mr. Ten Eyck, that my peculiar Situation requir'd an Anfwer en the following Morning j and that I could not wait longer than that Period. I urg'd Mr. Ten Eyck to return to Mr. Hallam, and he did fo : Mr. Hallam then pro- mifed a definitive Anfwer by Mr. Ten Eyck the next Day. At the appointed Hour, Mr. Ten Eyck waited on me, and found at my Houfe Mr. Dunlc.p, and the Agent from Philadelphia. Mr. Ten Eyck obferved, that Mr. Hallam h.u! cornmiiTionedhim to fay, that c< he knew the Caufe <( of our Differences, but they mould ceafe ; for he ! D U N L A P . (L.S.) C '3 1 IN the Courfe of the prefent Winter, Mr. Hallum has appeared much diflatisfied. It was many Times ru moured that he intended to force his Wife on the Stage: But about the 9th or loth of February, Mr. Dunlap in formed me, that Mr. Hallam had called on him, to let him know that Mrs. Hallam ought to be engaged : And on Mr. Dunlap's replying, that he thought " that Mat ter had been iettled in June laft," had only anfwered by charging me with fending him in an Account of Money due to me j and by afferting the Injuries done to his Wife; concluding with faying, that he had prevented Difturbanccs in the Theatre ; but he would do Jo no longer. ABOUT the i4th of February, Mr. Dunlap informed me that he had waited on Mr. Hal/am, having requefted a Gentleman to witnefs the Converfation; when Mr. Hallam confirmed the above Determination; and, on being reminded of his Engagements, faid, <( I did tell Mr. Ten Eyck that I would withdraw Mrs. Hallam, but I did not fay for how long:" That he told Mr. Hallam that he mould confider his Attempt to force Mrs. Hallant on the Stage as a Violation of the Articles; and was an fwered, he might THINK as he p leafed : That he told Mr. Hallam j that if there was any Difturbance in the The atre, on Account of Mrs. Hallam 3 after the Avowal that (he had waited upon a Number of Ladies, who had cfpouled her Quarrel, he mould confider him (Hallam) as the Caufe ; and was anfwered, he might THINK, as he pleafed: That on faying he (Dunlap) muft take Mea- fures for the Security of his Property, he was anfwered, he might DO as he pleafed. FINDING that the DiiTatisfactions of Mr. Hallam con tinued ; hearing that he intended to introduce his Wife on the Stage, during the Benefits; and convinced that the Diffoludon of the Company muft be the Confe- quence, to the great Injury of the Performers, as well as of the Proprietors; I determined, with the Qoncur- rence of Mr. Dunlap, and the Advice of Gentlemen whom I fuppofed Mr. Ha/lam's Friends, to make him Propofals t H J Fropofals that might prevent Violence, and terminate all Differences to his Satisfaction. Many Modes were premifed by thefe Friends, and they can vouch I did not, I would not iiften to any, that had not for its End the future Comfort and Independence of Mr. liallam. With this View the following Letter was fent to him : cc March ijfb, 1797. MR. L. HAL LAM, " Sir, " YOU having declared to me your Readinefs to fell C your Theatrical Property, at the fame Time that you ec exprefled your great Diffatisfaction of the Arrange- te ment made laft June, by which I became connected < in Bufinefs with you, I am induced to make, with the " Advice and Approbation of Mr. Hodgkinjbn, the follow- " ing Propofals: " THAT Lewis Hallam mail fell his Theatrical Pro- " perry, known by the Name of " Property of the Old < AmericarL Company," at fuch Price, and on fuch " Terms, as may be hereafter determined; quitting, by " fuch Sale, all Claim or Title whatfoever on faid Com- " pany or Property, to William Dunlap and John Hodg- < kinfon-y they giving fatisfactory Security for the Ful- O>O<>O<> < >O < O3 ANGELES $ lorjm PAMPHLET BINDER Syracuse, N Y. Stockton, Calif. L 006 615 355 2 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000031 098 7