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 STAGE OF 1871: 
 
 0f flags aitir 
 
 BY 
 
 HAWK'S- EYE. '1 
 
 AUTHOR OF "TURF NOTES." 
 
 "One man in his time plays many parts." 
 
 " PRINCE OF WALES'S ROYAL THEATRE." 
 
 " THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET." 
 
 " ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE." 
 
 " ST. JAMES'S THEATRE." 
 
 " OLYMPIC THEATRE." 
 
 " ROYALTY THEATRE." 
 
 FIRST SERIES. 
 
 LONDON: 
 BICKERS & SON, 1, LEICESTER SQUARE. 
 

 ttlfis 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 HBAD, HOLE & CO., PRINTERS, FARRINGDON STREET, 
 AND IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preface 1 
 
 The Stage of 1871 3 
 
 Influence of the Drama ...... 8 
 
 Managers ....... 13 
 
 Opening Pieces . . . . . . .19 
 
 Unreasonable Complaints ..... 22 
 
 The Prince of Wales's Eoyal Theatre .... 27 
 
 The Eoyal Haymarket Theatre . . . . .34 
 
 The Eoyal Princess's Theatre ..... 37 
 
 St. James's Theatre . . . . .40 
 
 Olympic ....... 44 
 
 TheEoyalty 47 
 
 Burlesques ....... 50 
 
 Encores ........ 53 
 
 Laughing ....... 56 
 
 The Voice ........ 58 
 
 Play Bills 60 
 
 Conclusion . . .61 
 
 M214920 
 

THE STAGE OF 1871. 
 
 THAT the drama at the present time has as strong a hold 
 on the affections of all classes as it had in former times can, 
 I think, be proved beyond doubt. It has been a fashion to 
 speak of a by-gone age as the palmy days of the drama, but 
 why so it is somewhat difficult to conceive. It was, per- 
 haps, more patronised by the higher classes, but it would be 
 a bold assertion to say that this was an advantage. 
 
 To properly judge of the drama and dramatic art at 
 the present time, it is necessary to bear in mind the won- 
 derful changes that have taken place in all classes during 
 the past fifty years, and the many and varied places and 
 kinds of amusement that have sprung into existence during 
 that period. The Opera, Concert Halls, Crystal Palace, 
 Music Halls, The Alhambra, Agricultural Hall, and many 
 others, all of which are more or less attractive as places of 
 entertainment ; and yet, in spite of all these attractions, the 
 number of theatres has gradually increased. It is quite 
 true that they are not always successful, but the most 
 money-making and prosperous of undertakings are at all 
 times liable to this misfortune. 
 
 Fifty years ago there were not more than half the number 
 
 B2 
 
THE. STAGE OF 1871. 
 
 of theatres in London that there are at the present time, 
 and all interest centred round the two great houses, and a 
 few great actors, and rival factions wrote, and fought, and 
 quarrelled over the merits of their favourites. That all 
 this added to their fame cannot be questioned, but that it 
 conduced to benefit the cause of the drama is quite another 
 question. 
 
 The chief complaint against the stage at the present time 
 is the neglect of Shakespeare, and it is assumed that because 
 Shakespeare is not performed, that his works are not 
 appreciated. But is this so? I believe not, but, on the 
 contrary, that his works are studied as much now by the 
 educated classes as formerly. Why, then, are not his plays 
 performed ? And I reply, that the drama of the present 
 time is almost entirely supported by the educated middle 
 class, and that they do not like tragedy, and do not care to 
 sup on horrors. As a class they are better educated than 
 formerly, they are more refined, and have better tastes. 
 This is not the age of hard-drinking, hard-swearing, bull- 
 baiting, cock-fighting, and pugilism ; nor is it the age that 
 would sit for hours listening to actors ranting and roaring 
 on the stage, as they did in the good old times. No, this is 
 the age of improvements, of refinement, of literature, of 
 ragged schools, shoe-black brigades, and universal education, 
 and I believe if the Kembles were to reappear now, they 
 would be thought a great deal too stilted and a great deal 
 too grand. 
 
 It may be thought a bold assertion but I think it would 
 be easy to prove, that beautiful play as the " Midsummer 
 Night's Dream " is, a great portion of it is out of place on 
 the stage ; some parts are wearisome, and what can be more 
 jarring to the imagination than to see Ariel, in flesh and 
 blood on the stage, and to listen to the beautiful language 
 
THE STAGE OF 1871. 5 
 
 of the poet delivered in a voice pitched in a key that reminds 
 you somewhat of " night lights, only a half-penny a box ; " 
 and few I fancy, would care to see it, but for the extraordi- 
 nary ability of Mr. Phelps in 'Billy Bottom : in my opinion 
 his most masterly and wonderful performance. 
 
 Another complaint is, that the old comedies are neglected. 
 There is an old comedy now being performed in London, 
 " The Man of the World," which people go to see Mr. 
 Phelps perform in. Now take this as a sample of the taste 
 of our forefathers' time, and what a disgusting example it is 
 of lying, drinking, gross flattery, hypocrisy, and deceit, and 
 all done boastfully, openly, and as if commendable, and with 
 an affectation of gallantry and politeness of the most extreme 
 order, a lie always accompanied with the gentleman placing 
 his hand upon his heart, and the lady curtseying to the 
 ground. Charming, no doubt, in the good old times ; dis- 
 gusting at the present time. 
 
 With the destruction of the monopoly of the patent 
 theatres died out the old school of actors at Drury Lane 
 and Covent Garden ; this was followed by the starring 
 system, which critics mourned over, and justly mourned 
 over, for so many years, and then came the era of adapta- 
 tions from the French, and again critics mourned over the 
 want of original talent. Then came the burlesque era, and 
 then came the revival of Shakespear era, in which Charles 
 Kean relied much upon the assistance of scenery and 
 upholstery, and this was followed by the era of sensation 
 pieces, and then came the last the Kobertson era, in 
 which he showed what a man of brilliant genius could do 
 in the present day, and with the present time, and how well 
 refined comedies can be played. 
 
 There can be no doubt that this is the commencement of 
 what all must hope will prove a great improvement in the 
 
6 THE STAGE OF 1871. 
 
 irly in 
 
 plays and acting of the present time, more particularly 
 houses of moderate size, for which they are more suitable. 
 
 I maintain that, in comparing the past with the present, 
 we are always unjust to the present. Each generation 
 likes to see itself reflected on the stage, and to expect that 
 we should like the " School for Scandal," for example, as 
 well as our forefathers, would be absurd. Admitting all its 
 merits, some of the language, and the plot is not of the kind 
 to please now as it did formerly. Our forefathers enjoyed 
 it all, no doubt, immensely, and they roared at seeing the 
 scandals of the fine folks of the times exposed. Many can 
 enjoy this still, and understand it perfectly, but amongst the 
 multitude how few that can fully understand that they must 
 look back fifty years to understand it ; and, moreover, it is 
 out of date. The upper classes, if no better, are certainly 
 no worse than any other class at the present time. 
 
 Many persons were shocked, and properly so, at the 
 production of " Formosa ; " and the author, braving public 
 opinion, boldly declared that he had opened the door and 
 meant to keep it open ; he challenged public opinion, he 
 offended our sense of propriety, and since then he has 
 been very quietly tabooed ; the public have shut the door 
 both on him and his plays. And here we have signal proof 
 that the public will not countenance writers going beyond 
 certain limits. None can deny the great abilities of the 
 author of " London Assurance," and no man has been more 
 successful, but it is evident that the public have not for- 
 given him for this mistake. 
 
 I do not like sensation headers, nor sensations of any 
 kind, but on the other hand I know there are thousands that 
 could not appreciate Mr. Robertson's exquisite comedies, 
 nay would not even understand them ; and surely those 
 who do not like these high-class works have a right to have 
 
THE STAGE OF 1871. 7 
 
 provided for them that which they can understand and 
 enjoy. Try and improve their taste by all means, but pray 
 do not think all is lost because these things are liked, and 
 remember in past times some of the dramas were of a very 
 sanguinary order. 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 
 
 INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 
 
 To give an opinion as to whether the stage can fairly 
 claim to be an educational institution is a dangerous and a 
 difficult matter. Some persons take very high ground upon 
 this matter, others pooh-pooh it altogether. The truth, I 
 apprehend, lies between the two, and much depends upon 
 what we consider education. 
 
 Many, a great many, young men of say twenty years of 
 age can claim that they are well educated so far as school 
 education goes, but really possess very little of the education 
 that is gained in the world, but instead have plenty of con- 
 ceit and assurance, and think they know everything because 
 they know very little ; and they have to get rid of their 
 assurance and satisfaction with their opinions, before their 
 minds can become cultivated. How is this done but by mix- 
 ing in the world, rubbing shoulders with their fellow men, 
 ay, and brains, too, until they come to their proper level, 
 and when they reach that, they are wiser men, and fall into 
 their proper place, and thus acquire wisdom from experi- 
 ence, from reading, from thinking, so that, properly con- 
 sidered, a man is always learning if he is good for anything.. 
 
 That the stage has its share in this kind of education is, 
 I think, unquestionable. Witnessing a well-written and 
 well-acted piece must set a person thinking, more or less ;. 
 some persons, I am aware, never think, but that the stage 
 cannot help. Then, again, the stage presents in a living 
 and vivid manner, human thought, feeling, passion, all *in 
 fact that goes to make up the sum of human life ; and there 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 
 
 is much to charm, delight, and amuse, and, I presume, 
 amusement that excites our sympathies and feelings may be 
 regarded as beneficial and healthy. And beyond all doubt 
 this is the strong point in favour of the drama; whatever 
 acts upon and tends to excite thought is beneficial. Now 
 it is impossible to deny that a good play does this to a large 
 extent. Any one who doubts this has only to watch the au- 
 dience and they must be convinced of it. I might claim 
 that to delight is to improve, and that the stage does this- 
 cannot be denied ; this is a healthy form of pleasure if you 
 like, but everything that tends to excite our better feelings 
 is unquestionably beneficial ; and none experience this more 
 than those whose minds are much taxed, the entire change 
 of ideas is beneficial ; people suffering from melancholy, 
 depression, nervousness, should try a course of theatre- 
 going ; it is a sovereign remedy. There are many persons 
 who have so much pleasure that they get tired of it ; 
 theatres are no use to these unfortunate individuals, but to- 
 the happy many who are always working both hands and 
 brains, the theatre is relaxation, a pleasure, and a benefit. 
 
 It may be asked, does going to see a goblin-monk flung 
 from the topmost tower of Notre Dame tend to improve ? 
 Yes, it does, why not ? A young person sees it and is 
 astonished, and wonders ; wonder is the offspring of ignor- 
 ance. He wonders again how it is done, why the monk's 
 neck is not broken ? Then he thinks and thinks, until he 
 comes to the conclusion that a very large feather bed is- 
 probably an important actor in the piece. Here is educa- 
 tion at once, inductive reasoning ; wonder ceases. His first 
 lesson makes him think less of the leap and more of the 
 feather bed, and he is to that extent a wiser man, and the * 
 next time takes care to go to see something better. 
 
 It is a mistake, in my opinion, for the stage to take up- 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 
 
 le reason 
 
 too high ground about educating, for the very simpl< 
 that all classes of playgoers are much better educated than 
 formerly, and therefore there is less need for the stage to do 
 so; and I suspect there was a great deal of boasting in 
 former times upon this subject. 
 
 With regard to the important question of the influence 
 of the drama on the character of the young, I will give my 
 reason why I think it is beneficial ; somewhat a bold 
 assertion, perhaps. 
 
 I will admit that when young persons first visit theatres, 
 they are often bewildered, delighted, carried away, think 
 it the most delightful life imaginable, all brightness and 
 pleasure, to be somewhat envied ; oh, so nice to be an 
 actor, or more often, an actress dancer anything -where 
 everything looks so bright ! They want to know all about 
 theatres, actors and actresses ; they wonder and wonder and 
 wonder, and then they think and think and think, " night 
 after night," " hot theatre," "paint," "the same parts." They 
 go again and again, and gradually but surely come to the 
 conclusion that it is not fairy land but very real, and they 
 find that actors and actresses are only on the stage a few 
 hours out of the twenty-four, and they have to live and to 
 eat and drink, and are like ordinary mortals, and have to 
 learn, and struggle, and strive, and that they have their wor- 
 ries and heartburnings, and sorrows and cares, and that the 
 smiling face often covers an aching heart, and that this is so 
 even with the successful, and that all cannot be successful. 
 " Ah, me ! when they please us we ought to be very 
 grateful to them, for the pleasure is ours, and often the 
 pain is theirs. 
 
 To judge of the influence of the stage, take a young man 
 who has early in life frequented theatres, has imbibed a 
 taste for the drama; he will first, probably, go to see a 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 11 
 
 drama of the sensation order, or something that pleases the 
 eye, and for a time this will satisfy him, but depend upon 
 it he will soon seek something better, and how gradually 
 his taste will improve, until at last nothing but really good 
 pieces will satisfy him. Now take another young man, 
 one that has no taste for the drama, and he likes Cremorne, 
 the Alhambra, or some place of amusement of that kind, 
 something that does not trouble his mind or set him think- 
 ing, but rather that which he can see and hear, something 
 showy, noisy, light, frivolous, does not interfere with his 
 smoking and chattering ; my dramatic young man is surely 
 superior to this music-hall young man ? But it may be ob- 
 jected and said, people are not obliged to go to either one 
 or the other, but on the other hand it is a fact that people 
 will go, and it might, I think, be very easily proved, that 
 amusement is useful, beneficial, and very often necessary, 
 and really does good. Theatres not necessary? why they are 
 the first sure sign of civilisation ; came in with the monks, 
 and remained in England after they left. Amusement not 
 necessary ? I beg pardon, absolutely necessary cures half 
 the ills that flesh is heir to, makes us kind and genial. If 
 you doubt it, go in the pit of a London theatre and notice 
 the people, the little family groups all kindness to each 
 other, and happy with every one ; watch them as they go 
 home in a convenient omnibus, happy still, exchanging 
 smiles, talking and thinking over delightful Mrs. Bancroft, 
 lovely Mrs. Rousby, funny Mr. Toole. Does not do any 
 good 1 why it does my heart good to see them, and there- 
 fore surely it must do them good. 
 
 And oh, how those happy little girls behind laugh at tho 
 funny man imitating a bird singing, particularly the dark- 
 eyed one ! how she laughs, and I turn from the funny man 
 to contemplate her pretty face, and others turn, too, and we 
 
12 INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA. 
 
 all laugh to see her laugh so, and she is ever so much more 
 amusing than the funny man. Just to the right there is 
 an old gentleman with his daughter and a friend; how he 
 enjoys the fun to be sure ! I almost envy him, nothing in 
 the shape of fun comes amiss, and every time he laughs he 
 looks at his daughter and nudges her, anxious that she too 
 should enjoy it; and now the fun is good, and he looks at 
 me quite friendly, and thinks I am a kindred spirit, and I 
 confess I never saw an old gentleman more genuinely happy 
 in my life. Not a bad place to study character is a theatre. 
 You meet all kinds of persons, and see them under all kinds 
 of influences, sometimes, but not often, you come across a 
 sour, irritable, old fellow, who never laughs, never looks 
 to the right or to the left, seems at war with the world, 
 never unbends, never takes off his hat until he is obliged, 
 he never applauds or knocks with his stick, but pays strict 
 attention to all that is going on on the stage; but whether 
 he enjoys it or not you can never tell. But I suspect he is a 
 just and severe critic, who enjoys good plays and good 
 acting, but is annoyed by being obliged to listen to a good 
 deal that he does not approve, but which young folks de- 
 light in. 
 
 How well-behaved people are in theatres now-a-days. 
 In this respect the gods are vastly improved within my 
 recollection ; now they are nearly as quiet and orderly as 
 the persons in the pit or boxes. Please to note, ye who 
 cannot see any improvement in the manners of the present 
 time, cat-calls, whistling, and loud cries of " music " are as 
 rare now as formerly they were common. 
 
 Some alterations have also taken place in the manage- 
 ment and arrangement of our theatres. The pit has been 
 much encroached upon by the slow but sure encroachments 
 of the stalls, and in some houses there has been a gradual 
 
INFLUENCE OF THE DRAMA.. 13 
 
 encroachment by the amphitheatre gradually pushing the 
 gallery back. This ingenious arrangement deserves notice. 
 The stalls having encroached upon the pit, compensation is 
 found for the pitites by encroaching upon the dominions of 
 the gods, but how the compensation is made up to them I 
 do not see, but I apprehend that the laud wherein the gods 
 do dwell has been encroached upon by the well-to-do 
 classes, who have gradually pushed the domains of the gods 
 farther east and south, and that theatres have sprung up in 
 these far distant lands suitable to their requirements, and 
 hence they require less space in the West-end houses. 
 
 MANAGERS. 
 
 The charges that have lately been made against the 
 managers of the London Theatre is, no doubt, more than 
 half true, and that much, nay, almost everything, must de- 
 pend upon them ; but it is only fair to say that there is 
 something to be said on the other side. Managers ought to 
 be good judges, and they are not always so ; they are, 
 therefore, inclined to perform the works of the well known, 
 rather than new authors. This it is not difficult to under- 
 stand ; an experienced author is almost sure to produce a 
 piece that will attain some kind of success, a new author 
 may achieve a great success, but it is rather more likely 
 that he will fail ; and it is this that the manager fears. Mr. 
 Byron, for example, is so experienced a writer for the stage, 
 and has evidently so much knowledge of the world an 
 important element that managers know that they may rely 
 upon him. In writing a piece for the stage there is so 
 much to consider, besides the merits of the piece as a lite- 
 
MANAGERS. 
 
 rary work ; you have to consider your audience and your 
 actors. The characters must be well drawn, then there is 
 the plot and incidents, and all these must fit so as to make 
 an harmonious whole, and even trifling things must be con- 
 sidered. I think the public are good judges, and depend 
 upon it, as a rule, if a piece fails it is not without reason. 
 A few nights ago I witnessed the performance of Dr. West- 
 land Marston's comedy of " Lamed for Life," at the Royalty 
 Theatre. A most charmingly written and poetical piece. 
 Mr. Forrester acted Dr. John Cleveland in a manner that it 
 would be impossible not to admire ; there was so much to 
 please, but yet it was impossible not to feel that more 
 passion would have added to the success. Mrs. Ada 
 Cavendish's performance of Grace Elliot I should describe 
 as exquisite, but I could not help feeling that the part 
 demanded rather more force than she displayed, and I 
 am sure that if Mr. Forrester had more passion, and Mrs. 
 Cavendish more force, the piece would have been much 
 more successful; but, in addition to this, Mr. Vincent 
 was not able to do near justice to the character of the 
 Hon. Fred Random. The part is so very good that it 
 required a first class actor to do justice to it, Mr. Vincent 
 was altogether too heavy. This affords another example of 
 the folly of asking actors to take parts out of their own 
 line. In dramas Mr. Vincent is known to be a good actor, 
 but in this comedy he was out of his element, and marred 
 the success of the piece. These it might be thought not to 
 be matters of much consequence, but to the full success of 
 the piece they are of the utmost importance. 
 
 There can be no doubt that a judicious critic ought to 
 be able, on reading a piece, to tell whether it would be 
 likely to be successful or not, bearing in mind the theatre, 
 the actors, and the public. A critic of sound judgment 
 
MANAGERS. 1 5 
 
 ought not to be mistaken, and, beyond all question, could 
 form a much better judgment than a manager, if only for 
 the reason that a manager has so many things to think of 
 that his judgment is apt to be biassed, whereas the critic's 
 judgment is free. 
 
 A dramatist requires much more besides literary talent to 
 succeed in producing good pieces. Knowledge of the 
 stage, knowledge of the world, keen and close observation 
 and knowledge of character ; and, therefore, men who, in 
 addition to literary ability, have mixed much with all classes, 
 and experienced the ups and downs of life, are much more 
 likely to be successful than scholars, the latter are too stiff, 
 too stately, to draw characters that are to be presented 
 before a mixed audience. In works of fiction this will not 
 be felt so much because there is room for the imagination 
 to supply what is often wanting in the novelist, but on the 
 stage little is left to the imagination ; you see them in the 
 flesh, and it depends upon the author and the actor whether 
 or not they are real and true, and such as will please. 
 Authors, I am afraid, often complain without reason. . Some 
 characters are so drawn that they are always appreciated 
 and please, others, although equally cleverly drawn, lack 
 interest, warmth, life. This, perhaps, is not noticed so 
 much as it is felt by the audience; they feel without, 
 perhaps, knowing why, that there is something wanting,, 
 and it is the same in real life. We know persons for many 
 years, we like them, have no fault to find with them, but they 
 are chilly, they are always the same, there is no warmth, 
 they are very good, but you would like them better if they 
 had just a dash of evil about them to relieve the even- 
 ness of their goodness. A real saint not a converted one 
 could never make a successful dramatist ; his sympathies 
 are too contracted, he is too cold, too dull. I doubt whether 
 
16 MANAGERS. 
 
 a saint can make a good preacher, indeed, it is almost im- 
 possible, a real saint lacks everything that makes a good 
 preacher. To be successful a dramatist must possess 
 passion, force, and feeling, and he must impart all these, 
 and often much more, to his characters. 
 
 I believe, firmly believe, that if managers would have the 
 goodness to, in their minds, clearly realise that every 
 person who visits a theatre is a customer, whose comfort it 
 is his interest, in every possible manner, to study, they 
 would, in the long run, be gainers to a very great extent. 
 The box-fee difficulty appears to be an insurmountable one, 
 but why, unless you are a manager, it is difficult to under- 
 stand. In the pit and in the gallery the rule is, first come 
 first served. Why not the same in the boxes ? Abolish 
 fees of all kinds, and have all seats numbered distinctly, 
 and then establish the first come first served principle. 
 The whole race of box book-keepers and attendants are, I 
 am aware, men of such exceeding experience and talent for 
 extracting tips from the pockets of gentlemen, more 
 particularly when the latter are accompanied by a lady, or 
 ladies, that to cure the disease you must attack it at the 
 root, and extirpate it root and branch. How so ? Why, 
 employ for box-keepers and attendants, civil, well-conducted 
 young women or youths, the latter not over, say four- 
 teen, and in addition, let the manager understand that 
 there is nothing that conduces to the good management of 
 very establishment as the eye of the master. 
 
 Each theatre should have, so to speak, a policy of its 
 own, to which it should adhere, that its patrons should 
 know beforehand what is provided for them. And how a 
 theatre is to be really successful except by pure chance 
 unless this plan is adopted, is somewhat difficult to under- 
 stand. For example, a theatre is established for the per- 
 
MANAGERS. 17 
 
 formanco of light and elegant pieces; people who enjoy 
 pieces of this kind visit it in the expectation of seeing them, 
 when, to their horror, two villains of the Bill Sykes' order 
 appear, and their mission is to try and kill some unfortu- 
 nate little boy or girl. Now to persons of taste and re- 
 finement this kind of thing is not only unpleasing, but posi- 
 tively disgusting and offensive, and the result is that 
 between the elegant pieces it professed to play, and the 
 villanous, it loses its character and comes to grief. Why, 
 this is about as absurd as it would be for Mr. Spurgeon to, 
 on the quiet, get a Jesuit father to preach to his congre- 
 gation ! 
 
 It is but reasonable to assume that when a manager 
 selects his company to play light and elegant pieces he 
 selects those who are suitable for his purpose, and, there- 
 fore, to suddenly change, and ask them to play villains and 
 cut-throats, is most unfair to them, and must have a ten- 
 dency, however clever, to interfere with their success in 
 their legitimate parts. The leading actors are exempt from 
 this, but why not all 1 Fancy asking Mr. Sothern to play a 
 Villain. Could he do it ? Certainly not, he can play the 
 Gentleman to perfection, but the Villain is far beyond his 
 reach ; as absurd as to ask Mr. Toole to play Hamlet. 
 
 Some theatres I have noticed are started without the 
 germs of success properly planted. A new piece is billed 
 about London for some time, then a tremendous string of 
 high-sounding names is announced, and something new is 
 produced, with costly scenery, decorations, and appoint- 
 ments. Mistaken policy. If a manager has a good piece, 
 and a good company to play it, he need not go to all this 
 useless expense. Managers should rely on the kindness 
 and appreciation of the public ; if they are pleased, and 
 they are good judges, they will applaud and patronise you. 
 
When an English audience is pleased it is not slow to 
 applaud, and as far as my judgment enables me to form 
 an opinion, I think the press critics are uniformly fair, and 
 often kind and indulgent, and it must not be forgotten that 
 they have to witness a great many pieces, that to them, as 
 judges, are somewhat trying. An author may write a very 
 good work, and if unknown it may pass unnoticed ; a 
 lawyer may attend court for many a year, however clever, 
 without obtaining a brief, but a theatre has but to open its 
 doors and all the chief papers send their critics, and the 
 following morning the result is announced to countless 
 readers, and if the piece is good, and well acted, success is 
 almost certain. 
 
 VULGARITY. 
 
 I feel convinced, and I have good reason for my convic- 
 tion, that if there was at the present time half a dozen well- 
 played, well-written pieces, such as Mr. Robertson's plays, 
 " The Two Roses," with pieces such as " Queen Stork," 
 " Cut off with a Shilling," &c., they would all find audiences 
 from amongst the upper middle classes. 
 
 It is really surprising how both managers and writers for 
 the stage appear to cater for the million, and it is to this, I 
 presume, that is to be attributed the vulgarity that we so 
 often witness. 
 
 It is not a little remarkable that of all old pieces that are 
 still attractive to modern playgoers, " The Critic," and " She 
 Stoops to Conquer," are the most attractive. I think this 
 shows the good taste of the public, for they are both 
 delightful pieces, without anything that is objectionable in 
 them ; and it is also not a little remarkable that amongst 
 the immense number of old pieces, that so few can be found 
 
VULGARITY. 19 
 
 to suit the taste of the present time. " The School of 
 Scandal" is still attractive, I admit, but I do not admit 
 that it is a pleasing representation of life and manners ; 
 what is distasteful in modern pieces is, in my opinion, their 
 vulgarity ; there is no doubt of this, and there is really no 
 reason for it, and no excuse. 
 
 All connected with the stage claim for it that they are 
 teachers ; grant this, and there is less excuse for vulgarity. 
 
 On the stage we are supposed to see a correct representa- 
 tion of the manners of the age, and as vulgarity is not 
 regarded as one of the sins of our time, vulgarity is out of 
 place on the stage. But even supposing that it were, if 
 the stage is to be the model of manners, vulgarity would be 
 inexcusable. 
 
 This cannot affect persons of mature age, but it can the 
 young ; youth has plenty of audacity and its concomitants, 
 and when young persons see vulgarity on the stage repre- 
 sented in educated persons, they are apt to regard it as an 
 excuse for theirs, and think vulgarity is the thing. Re- 
 garded in this light, vulgarity on the stage must have an 
 injurious effect on the manners of our time, and ought to be 
 banished. 
 
 OPENING PIECES. 
 
 A very good plan to judge of the merits of a piece is, to 
 watch the effect upon the audience, and it has the additional 
 advantage of being amusing, which was my case the first 
 time I saw " Ours." Sitting by me was a man, the gravity 
 of whose face attracted my notice ; when the whole house 
 was laughing, delighted, he sat with a puzzled enquiring 
 air, evidently trying to understand, and wondering what 
 people were laughing at. He looked again and again, head 
 bent forward, but it was all iu vain, it was too much for 
 
20 OPENING PIECES. 
 
 him, he gave it up and went away, disgusted with the play- 
 probably, instead of his own stupidity ; he ought to have 
 been at the Adelphi, witnessing the Goblin Monk, flung 
 from the highest tower of Notre Dame. 
 
 I confess I am sometimes amazed at the care and ability 
 bestowed on the getting-up of pieces, but on the other hand, 
 I am amazed at really stupid pie ces presented at first-class 
 theatres. At the Queen's, in the winter, while the "Midsum- 
 mer Night's Dream" was being performed, a farce called 
 " Aunt Charlotte's Maid" was played, that was, I think, the 
 veriest trash I ever witnessed ; the fun consisting in bring- 
 ing a pitcher on the stage for no ostensible object, and next a 
 warming-pan and passing it from one to the other, and each 
 when finding it hot, dropping it. Now it is almost unneces- 
 sary to remark, that playgoers who go to see Shakespere, are 
 those who like good plays and good acting : and to inflict 
 three quarters' of an hour of this kind of fooling upon them 
 is surely stupid and has a tendency to disgust. 
 
 I heard persons openly remark upon the absurdity of it. 
 Sitting behind me there were several young persons whom 
 the warming-pan business convulsed with laughter, and I 
 noticed several persons turn round to look at the laughers, 
 one remaking " I must laugh, to see people laugh at such, 
 nonsense." It was so absurd that I was obliged to follow 
 his example. 
 
 To precede a pantomime, the piece would have been 
 suitable enough, because the warming-pan affair would have 
 delighted the children, but to precede a play of Shakespere, 
 it was unpardonable. 
 
 " The Belles of the Kitchen," is much of the same cha- 
 racter. Surely for a theatre like the Princess's this is not 
 a fit piece. Women rushing at full speed across the stage, 
 throwing about brooms and dresses, a man putting his head 
 
OPENING PIECES. 21 
 
 through an opening in a sheet hung on a clothes horse, and 
 then falling down, and other fooleries of this kind, might be 
 left out, except at Christmas. 
 
 I grant that persons laugh at them, but look at those who 
 laugh it is the young folk, who laugh at almost everything. 
 I declare I have noticed_ persons bursting with laughter at the 
 most pathetic parts when, if anything, they ought to have 
 cried. 
 
 To hiss at a theatre, except at a new piece, is unusual ; 
 moreover, English people have a dislike to hiss ; they bear 
 with patience, but they feel disgusted and don't fail to ex- 
 .press it privately. 
 
 It would be as well if each theatre kept as much as possible 
 to its own distinctive character. To send your servants 
 to see " Ours" would be rather absurd ; on the other hand 
 I presume a lover of the drama would not select the Adelphi 
 to go to. 
 
 The drama being patronised by all classes, they must be 
 catered for according to their wants ; and provided the pieces 
 supplied are sound and healthy, can there be any objec- 
 tion 1 and singular enough, we generally find the drama of 
 a sensational ordeiL filled with very high-flown sentiments. 
 And all play-goers will have noticed that the mock heroic 
 sentiments are generally those which touch the hearts of 
 the young, and bring forth the most hearty responses. 
 
 Those who think the stage has not improved I would ad- 
 vise to read the life of Samuel Foote, wherein they will find 
 that at that time the stage was dangerous for a respectable 
 man to be connected with, and that no public man's charac- 
 ter or reputation was safe, and that the stage was even more 
 profligate, than the people of a most profligate time. 
 
 In this world of sorrow and sin, few of us but have 
 enough real trouble to bear, without going to the play to 
 
22 OPENING PIECES. 
 
 see actors killed or die with the proper amount of horror; 
 and I very much doubt if the contemplation of the horrible 
 has a tendency to improve human nature. 
 
 UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS. 
 
 THE following letter, which I have taken from a London 
 paper of May last, I here insert as a specimen of the strange 
 and unreasonable complaints made against the theatres of 
 the present day. Now, whether this was written by a 
 country parson or not, matters not at all, I find it in a 
 respectable London paper, and it is only fair to presume 
 that it had the sanction of the Editor, or it would not be 
 admitted. Here it is : 
 
 " OUR THEATRES. 
 
 " SIR, I am a country parson, and love a good play. 
 Some time ago I took my wife to a theatre, which shall be 
 nameless. We listened to some comic songs of the most 
 dreary character, and we witnessed an exhibition which 
 produced a distinct impression on leaving that the whole 
 performance had more than a soupcon of indecency about 
 it. Well, I thought, we parsons are a simple folk. Next 
 time I will be more particular in my inquiries beforehand. 
 I will have something strictly proper and very good. With 
 this virtuous resolve I visited the Queen's Theatre the other 
 night. i Joan of Arc ' and Mr. Tom Taylor ! Devotion 
 and scholarship ! Ah ! sir, I was very weak. So was the 
 piece. The Maid Mystic ' bored me with * her voices.' 
 The < Maid Manifest ' was hard to be understood. I grieved 
 sincerely over the utter discomfort of the ' Maid Militant ' 
 on a white horse. The Maid had one or two other adjec- 
 tives of alliteration, but I did not wait for the torture or the 
 lighting of the faggots, nor had I the pleasure of seeing. 
 
 
UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS. 23 
 
 Mrs. Rousby carried by the angels up to heaven. There 
 was a terrific combat, with red light and battle-axes,_and 
 all the noise of war. Ivan was in the midst, clad in armour, 
 and at the end of the act the white horse, who stood fire 
 with consummate coolness, was called before the curtain, 
 but, like a wise and modest palfrey, said nay (neigh). One 
 scene must be specially noticed, that of the Coronation at 
 Kheims. It was extremely gorgeous and beautiful. But 
 even here the ecclesiastical critic would find fault ; and 
 while there were some pardonable errors, there was some- 
 thing present which should not have been introduced. It is 
 not a merely professional feeling which makes me protest 
 against a minute representation of the higher acts of the 
 ceremonial. Boys swinging censers, and men, with mitres 
 on their heads, may fairly bear their part. The organ may 
 play sweet music, and we look for the long procession 
 moving slowly beneath the pointed arch but with these 
 we should find the limit ; and when I saw their majesties 
 kneeling before the altar, and we had the very mysteries of 
 a service almost sacramental vulgarised for the sake of 
 popular applause, I could not help thinking that this sight 
 was, in its way, as bad as the display of blue boots and 
 scanty clothing at the other place. Surely in matters of 
 spectacle, as there is a mean which satisfies between naked- 
 ness and elaboration of dress, so, without asking for a 
 complete bareness of detail, we may have a solemn scene 
 brought to our view, and yet be spared so near an approach 
 to profanity. 
 
 " But such seems to be the law of extremes which rules 
 the stage now-a-days. 
 
 " ' Dum vitant vitia in contraria currunt.' 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 
 "A COUNTRY PARSON." 
 
24 UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS. 
 
 Now let me append a letter from a " Country Layman, 
 who loves a good sermon, and following the " Country 
 Parson's," he pays a visit to some London Churches : 
 
 " SIR, I am a country layman and I love a good sermon. 
 Some time ago I took my wife to a church that shall be 
 nameless. We listened to a sermon of the most dreary 
 character, and we witnessed an exhibition which produced 
 a distinct impression on leaving that we had witnessed a 
 performance that had more than a soupcon of levity about 
 it. Well, I thought, we country-folk are simple persons, 
 and I will be more particular in my inquiries beforehand ; 
 and I went to a church in Holborn Hill ! Ah ! sir, I was 
 very weak ; so was the sermon. The ' Church Mystic' 
 bored me. The ' Church Manifest ' was hard to under- 
 stand, and I grieved over the ' Church Militant/ There 
 was some ceremony going on" that I could not understand, 
 and scarcely see from the clouds of smoke caused by some- 
 thing that was kept burning, and gave me a headache. 
 There were innumerable lights, and colours, and moving 
 figures, and men were dressed in gorgeous, but strange 
 garbs ; and there was singing, and an organ ; and I could 
 not help thinking that this was as bad as the dreary 
 sermon I had heard in the great church, and I asked myself 
 is there no mean between the dulness of the one and the 
 profanity of the other. 
 
 " But such seems to be the law of extremes which rules 
 the Church now-a-days." 
 
 Now, how very simple it is to account for the misfortunes 
 of the Parson and the Layman. The Country Parson went 
 to the wrong theatres, and the Country Layman went to 
 the wrong churches ! 
 
 If the Parson had been wise he would have inquired 
 
UNSEASONABLE COMPLAINTS. 25 
 
 of some discreet person where lie could see a good play fit 
 for a parson. And the Country Layman would have found 
 plenty of good preachers that he might have been edified 
 by listening to ; and we should have been spared the pro- 
 duction of these weak letters. Why, I declare ! There is 
 not a church or a theatre in London that I could not, if I 
 wished, write about in the same manner. It is so easy to 
 find fault ; it is so difficult to discriminate. 
 
 If the Parson had inquired, he would have been informed 
 that there are amongst the London play-going public a large 
 number who like spectacles of the " Joan of Arc " kind, 
 and that managers must cater to the tastes of their patrons 
 somewhat, or go to the Bankruptcy Court ; and he would 
 have been further told that at this very theatre Shakespeare's 
 play of the "Midsummer Night's Dream," was produced a 
 short time back, on a scale of great splendour, and was well 
 acted, and that at the present time it is Mrs. Rousby's turn ; 
 and that she has a great number of admirers, particularly 
 amongst the ladies, and that they are enraptured with the 
 "Mystic," "Manifest," and "Militant" Maid. 
 
 And if the Country Layman had inquired he would 
 have been told that the churches he visited had a large 
 and fashionable congregation of ladies, and they liked in 
 cense, music, flowers, lights, copes, stoles, chasubles, and 
 all the bright and gorgeous finery which these churches de- 
 light in, and that the ministers think of the eyes, and ears, 
 and senses of the fair worshippers; and that ministers, as 
 well as managers, are wise in their generation. 
 
 How uncharitable ! How unkind we are one to another ! 
 Not intentionally, but from ignorance and want of reflec- 
 tion. See, a staid, kind-hearted, not over-wise, clergyman 
 visits London from his snug parsonage, and finds himself 
 before the foot-lights. Witnessing an opera bouffe or a 
 
26 UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS. 
 
 *P Tir> 
 
 burlesque which was not intended for him of course he- 
 is dazzled, confused, amazed. The music, the dresses, or 
 want of them, as he thinks, and, oh ! the legs ! poor man 
 he is bewildered, never reflecting that the novelty of it is 
 really what makes it so astounding to him ; and if he would 
 see three or four pieces of the kind, even the legs would 
 cease to astound him, and he probably might live to enjoy 
 the fun. And, on the other hand, supposing the premier 
 danseuse were to find herself one Sunday morning at the 
 worthy parson's church, she probably would say, " Oh, 
 dear ! shocking can't understand what he means ! " But 
 if she went half-a-dozen times, would say, "Well; he is 
 not a good preacher, I grant ; but then he is such a good 
 kind old soul, and I like him so much ; he means well." 
 But I am afraid the parson won't go to the burlesques, 
 and still more afraid that the lady won't go to church ! 
 Although I really wish they would, just to become better 
 acquainted, and they might find they have both meant well, 
 and only want to be better known to each other to be better 
 appreciated. And they are not so wide apart after all ; 
 for both the Church and the Stage assume that they are 
 instructors, and the Stage has not now got the monopoly 
 in the use of all things which please the senses. 
 
THE PRINCE OF WALES'S ROYAL THEATRE. 27" 
 
 THE PRINCE OF WALES'S ROYAL THEATRE. 
 
 IF proof were wanted of how successful a theatre can be 
 when well managed, this house would afford it. It is 
 managed upon a principle that if universally adopted would, 
 I believe, be found of the greatest possible advantage to 
 theatres in general. All theatre-goers know that at this 
 theatre they will have nothing presented to them that is not 
 well-written, in good taste, and well acted, and this rule 
 should be observed in all theatres, whereas it is not uncom- 
 mon to go to a house to see a first class piece which is 
 preceded by a farce that it is painful to witness. 
 
 It would be impossible to over-estimate the delight the 
 plays written by the late lamented Mr. T. W. Robertson 
 have given to all play-goers who can appreciate skilful con- 
 struction, brilliant dialogue, unquestionable taste, elegance 
 and refinement, and I think they are destined to take even- 
 a higher place in public estimation, and retain their hold on 
 the public for many years to come. 
 
 Taking " Ours " as an example, it appears to me that the 
 unquestionable brilliancy of the dialogue is secondary to the 
 extraordinary skill with which the author places before 
 the audience the misfortune it is to be born to wealth ;. 
 every incident in the 1st and 2nd Acts is introduced to show 
 this. Hugh Chalcot is disgusted with his riches, tired of 
 himself, bored to death, grumbles at his good fortune, is 
 becoming almost cynical. See how undecided he is ; he has 
 not even the decision of character to do a good act when he 
 has the wish and the opportunity, and it is to pourtray this 
 
28 THE TRINCE OF WALES* S ROYAL THEATRE. 
 
 that the incident of giving the 501. note to Sergeant , 
 is introduced this is admirable. After a great deal of 
 difficulty he just succeeds in giving it ; the honest sergeant, 
 thinking it a mistake, calls him back, telling him he has 
 given 50/. instead of 5L, and he has the meanness to take it 
 back, although noiv he has a reason why he should give it 
 to the sergeant, as a reward for his honesty. The character 
 of Hugh Chalcot is drawn with wonderful skill. To bring 
 out the young man's better nature a common-place dramatist 
 would have resorted to the usual device of his losing his 
 property by some means or other. Not so with Mr. Robert- 
 son ; he conceived the idea of making him, in a moment of 
 excitement, resolve to go to the Crimea, and from the 
 moment he is seen there he is an altered man. Many 
 persons have failed to realise the beauty of this act, and to 
 understand that the two previous are only a preparation for 
 this, to enable him to show " the uses of adversity." Seo 
 how this is done. 
 
 We find him in a hut in the Crimea, wounded and in a 
 miserable plight. Shivering with cold, he gets up, hum- 
 ming some old tune ; he has to break the ice to get at the 
 water to wash himself, wipe his face with a wisp of straw, 
 and then get his own breakfast ; but through all he is happy, 
 cheerful, and contented, only sorry that he cannot go to the 
 front to fight instead of attending to the cooking. A com- 
 rade sends to borrow his frying-pan, and he reminds the 
 sergeant that he is always borrowing, and had broken his 
 gridiron ; but his better nature now prevails, and in spite of 
 his comrade's borrowing and breaking propensities, he lends 
 it with a good heart. Formerly he enjoyed the unhappy 
 differences between the worthy old colonel and his wife, 
 now he cheerfully does his best to mend matters ; formerly 
 he treated Mary Netley with indifference, now he loves her 
 
THE PRINCE OF WALES's ROYAL THEATRE. 29 
 
 because she can make a roly-poly pudding. She accidentally 
 strikes his wounded leg with the poker, he almost faints 
 with pain, but not a murmur escapes him. But when she 
 offers to bind it up for him afresh, and pin it with a hairpin,, 
 he is so moved that he asks her if she dislikes him so very 
 much, and when told " not so very much," he proposes ; then 
 reminded of his wealth, he implores of her not to remind 
 him of that, that he cannot help it, that it is not his fault, 
 for that he never earnt a penny in his life. 
 
 Possessing, in a marked degree, personal advantages- 
 for the part, Mr. Bancroft plays it in such a manner 
 that the most exacting critic cannot find anything but 
 praise for such an admirable performance ; to say that it 
 is perfect is only to say that which is quite true ; easy 
 and finished, he has embodied the author's idea perfectly, 
 and does it full justice. The performance of this character 
 stamps him as an actor of the highest excellence. Mr. 
 Bancroft belongs to a good school, and he never fails to 
 show that a man may be a perfect actor and a perfect 
 gentleman. 
 
 Mr. Coghlan is another admirable actor of the Prince of 
 Wales's School, very gentlemanly, and never obtrusive. 
 In "Ours" he has a thankless part, but in " M.P." he 
 was well fitted. 
 
 In " Queen Stork " he played particularly well. This 
 piece gave me great pleasure. The ladies did not alto- 
 gether like it, but it was very clever. Miss Addison played 
 very well, but much better in "Cut off with a Shilling," 
 wherein she played the character most charmingly. 
 
 Mr. Addison is too old and well-known an actor for me to 
 criticise, but I may remark that his delineation of the York- 
 shireman in "M.P." was the best delineations of that kind 
 of character I ever witnessed, bringing out with great 
 
THE PRINCE OF WALES S ROYAL THEATRE. 
 
 force all the peculiarities of the Yorkshireman bi 
 powerful, and masterly. 
 
 Mr. Montgomery plays an Irishman exceedingly well, 
 which is not very often the case, an Irishman being, 
 perhaps, the most difficult character of all to play well. 
 An Irishman has so many sides to his character that it 
 requires considerable ability to do him justice. 
 
 To dilate upon the excellence of Mrs. Bancroft's acting 
 is, I am aware, quite unnecessary, but I may observe that 
 some actresses excel in one part, she excels in all parts ; 
 but apart from all her well-known, and well-appreciated 
 merits, it appears to me that her greatest gift is the extra- 
 ordinary power she possesses of changing her voice, so as to 
 convey the exact meaning, or feeling, she desires. So admi- 
 rable is her elocution that she appears to impart a double sig- 
 nificance to everything she says. Shut your eyes and listen, 
 and you would know from the voice alone the part she is 
 playing. Mark again how sudden, how quick, the change ! 
 so fresh, so unexpected ; no drawling, no hanging on to the 
 words to make much of them, but quick, bright, and po- 
 lished. All good actors can give different expressions to the 
 same voice, but Mrs. Bancroft's appears to me to not alone 
 give a different expression, but even the tone is different. 
 Take, for example, in " Ours " the scene where they are 
 going to the war, and all is excitement ; she is apparently 
 full of womanly terror, rushing about in great excitement, 
 almost crying. She joins in the general hubbub, which so 
 effects Hugh Chalcot that in his excitement he declares he 
 will go too, and then with startling quickness she drops her 
 alarmed voice, and is so glad to hear it that she is quite 
 pleased that he will go, that she likes him for going. Her 
 terror and tears were only the kind of thing that ladies 
 think necessary to assume on such occasions, and can be 
 
THE PRINCE OF WALES'S ROYAL THEATRE. 31 
 
 dropped without difficulty, and in a second she is herself 
 again, and this is expressed by the sudden change of voice, 
 and in a few words. Every lady, it may be said, could do 
 this, no doubt, but I doubt whether any other lady could 
 convey, by the complete and sudden change of voice how 
 completely her terror and fear were assumed. Mrs. Ban- 
 croft does it so perfectly, and she drops the mask so sud- 
 denly, that you are fairly surprised that a woman could 
 pretend to be affected so much, and appear to be all excite- 
 ment, whilst she is perfectly cool. That ladies in reality 
 often do this sort of thing we all know. Mrs. Bancroft 
 does it to perfection, but she also shows what a sham it is, 
 and how easily put on and put off. 
 
 Every woman, and more particularly clever women, 
 delight in Mrs. Bancroft's acting. What is there in the 
 character of the sex that she cannot do justice to I In love 
 scenes she is delightful. She does not give a representation 
 of a girl in love, but of a woman in love ; the former gives 
 little scope for acting, being always very much the same, 
 without much character; but there is more life, more 
 character, more spirit in a woman in love than a girl ; so 
 she gives first a little of love, then a bright laugh, then is 
 slightly quizzing, overflowing with happiness and pleasantry. 
 In depicting womanly anger she is superb, such fire, such 
 spirit; and then when penitent the voice is so meek, so 
 coaxing, but not so longer than is necessary to serve its 
 purpose. In " M.P." all this is delightfully played, as 
 is also the scene where Chudleigh thinks she is the 
 quakeress, and she, for fun, carries on the deceit, imitating 
 the voice, encouraging him to make love to her, to squeeze 
 her because she likes it, and then the laugh when she 
 reveals herself. Past description, must be seen ought to 
 be seen by every one. No wonder her own sex love and 
 
32 THE PRIXCE OF WALES's HOYAL THEATRE. 
 
 admire her; she does 'such thorough justice to, arid depicts 
 all the traits of character that make them charming. 
 
 To Mr. Hare must be assigned, beyond question, the 
 first place on the London stage in his own line. In " Ours " 
 he has a part that does not give full scope for the display 
 of his abilities, although he plays the Russian nobleman to 
 perfection, but, as in " M.P.," he gives a representation of an 
 English gentleman who is a scholar, a man of the world, 
 and a spendthrift, who regards the smiles and favours of 
 fortune with philosophic indifference, but always remains a 
 gentleman ready and eager to resent an insult or protect 
 his honour ; perfect in elocution, every word is heard, and 
 to every word he gives its proper significance ; hence the 
 pleasure to listen to the brilliant dialogue as delivered by 
 Mr. Hare. His performance in this piece is so even and 
 well sustained, that it is impossible to name any one part 
 that is better than another ; its general excellence is so great 
 that it would not be possible to do so. It is a model of 
 comedy-acting of the best kind, and affords the best illus- 
 tration of how unnecessary it is to be always on the move 
 on the stage, and hew much is gained by ease and repose 
 of manner, and speaking so that every word shall be pro- 
 perly delivered and distinctly heard. 
 
 Well as Mr. Collett played Sergeant Jones, there is still 
 room for improvement; it appeared to me that he was not 
 Sergeant enough, he was not wooden-headed enough in the 
 first two acts, and appeared to be too conscious that he was 
 saying things that would make people laugh, instead of ap- 
 pearing totally unconscious that he was doing anything of 
 the sort. In his allusion to his being the father of the twins, 
 he seemed to be enjoying his own remarks, whereas it is 
 obvious that the author intended to convey that he was 
 wondering in his stolid way why people never asked for 
 
THE PKI^CE OF WALEs's EOYAL THEATRE. 33 
 
 him, which he could not understand, and that this thought 
 was troubling his limited intelligence. Mr. Collett appears 
 to be inclined to over-act his parts, which is a fatal mistake. 
 Actors, I am sure, are not aware how often they cannot be 
 heard, and I hold that it is of the first importance to the 
 author that the dialogue should be so delivered that every 
 word should be heard. Now, too much action seriously 
 interferes with this, and in the capital comedietta of " Cut off 
 with a Shilling," Mr. Collett over-acted the part of Colonel 
 Berners to such an extent that a great deal of the dialogue, 
 which was cleverly and smartly written, was lost. Again, 
 too much action destroys light and shade, and the repose 
 necessary in comedies, and in parts where it would really 
 tell, the effect is destroyed by the audience having had all 
 the action that ought to have been reserved for the parts 
 where it is appropriate and would tell. Mr. Collett is in a 
 school where the acting is of such a high order, and has so 
 much ability, that I feel justified in judging him by a high 
 standard. 
 
34 THE ROYAL HATMARKET THEATRE. 
 
 THE ROYAL HAYMARKET THEATRE. 
 
 IT is quite needless for me to descant upon the merits of 
 Mr. Soth era's Lord Dundreary ; all the world has seen him 
 play the character, and all who are capable of understanding 
 and appreciating good acting must regard it as one of the 
 most perfect creations ever witnessed, but unfortunately the 
 extraordinary merits of this marvellous performance has un- 
 doubtedly overshadowed the other parts he has appeared in, 
 nor has he had a part to give full scope to his abilities. 
 
 Mr. Byron, in his comedy-drama of " An English Gentle- 
 man," has tried to fit him a suitable part, and no doubt has 
 succeeded to a great extent, but in doing so he has been 
 obliged to make a considerable sacrifice to Mr. Sothern at 
 the cost of dramatic probability. The play is altogether 
 void of originality, the materials being very old indeed, but 
 they are skilfully put together, and the characters are so 
 drawn as to give considerable room for good acting, and it 
 is most admirably acted in the chief parts. 
 
 One or two of the jokes introduced on the first night are 
 now left out, and so might the miser's remark that tho 
 police are always to be found when wanted. Misers are not 
 given to joking, and the remark is not so very original in 
 itself, but it evokes laughter amongst the juvenile portion of 
 the audience, so I presume it accomplishes its object. 
 
 Mr. Sothern gives the observation about nature, like a 
 watchmaker, not putting good works in a bad case as 
 pointedly as though it were very original, but it is not, I 
 have heard it at least once before on the stage. 
 
 This drama is a striking illustration of how difficult it is 
 
THE ROYAL HAYMARKET THEATRE. 35 
 
 even by the best acting to please when all probability is out- 
 raged. The forging of the first will, the finding of the 
 second, the villain dropping it, Charles Chuckles picking it 
 up, are sorry devices, and even the scene where Polly dis- 
 covers her lover in the garret, will not bear criticising. 
 Polly has been shamefully used; she forgives him. She finds 
 him out in the garret, how we are not told so far good ; 
 but when she finds him, almost a beggar, he commences 
 after a very few words of remorse to indulge in a succession 
 of jokes about his uncle round the corner. This I am aware 
 is for the benefit of Mr. Sothern, and it is so admirably 
 acted that it is hardly fair to complain. Miss Roselle's 
 acting in this scene could not be surpassed ; she was cheerful 
 at first, but on inquiring about her former lover, and ascer- 
 taining that he was so friendless, the expression of her face 
 and her voice conveyed that, although she would not show 
 all she felt, she had to struggle hard to suppress her emotion. 
 Her acting was much more in keeping with the scene than 
 Mr. Sothern's, but emotion is not Mr. Sothern's special 
 forte, indeed it would require a very powerful situation to 
 tempt him to indulge in anything of the sort, and there- 
 fore Mr. Byron had to fit him accordingly. 
 
 Disregarding the merits or demerits of this piece, and 
 viewing it simply as giving an opportunity for good actors 
 and actresses to show their ability, it must be regarded as 
 successful. Mr. Sothern's performance of Charles Chuckles 
 is easy, finished, and delightful. 
 
 Miss lloselle as Polly has to perform the really best 
 drawn character in the piece, and to it she most un- 
 doubtedly does the fullest justice ; the part requires those 
 natural attractions which she possesses, combined with 
 freshness of style, and in all the changes of feeling she has 
 to display from joy to sorrow, anger to contempt, contempt 
 
 D* 
 
THE HAYMARKET THEATRE. 
 
 to bitter disappointment, she was admirable. She played 
 with great feeling, nice taste, and excellent judgment, and 
 may be regarded as an ornament and great acquisition to 
 the London stage in a style of acting that is difficult to find, 
 and that no amount of practice can impart, the style being 
 quite beyond the reach of art. 
 
 Miss Caroline Hill played Malvina admirably, and the 
 author ought to feel grateful to her for doing so much with 
 the slender materials furnished her. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Chippendale were fitted with parts to 
 which they did the fullest justice. Miss Fanny Gwynne 
 had an ungrateful and unpleasant part to play as Eachel 
 Grindrod, and the same remarks apply to the part of 
 Grcsham, played by Mr. Edward Arnott. The manner in 
 which Mr. Byron manufactures his play makes it necessary 
 for him to sacrifice some character^ to bring others into 
 bolder relief. This is cleverly done, but it is apparent 
 enough. 
 
 
THE ROYAL PRINCE SS's THEATRE. 37 
 
 THE ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. 
 
 ** THE Man of the World" is so constantly played, that I pre- 
 sume it may be taken for granted that it was a popular 
 and favourite play in the good old times, or it would not 
 still be performed. And as there is but one strougly 
 drawn character in the piece, it may be assumed that when 
 it was written, the author's intention was to show how a 
 man of the world was to succeed in the world. At that 
 time, whether or not the piece gave pleasure to the play- 
 goers of those days, is a question I will not presume to 
 decide ; but that the piece is capable of giving pleasure 
 to many playgoers of the present time, is what I very 
 much doubt. The feeling it fills you with is utter disgust 
 and contempt for the time, the writer, and even the players. 
 I say this iii spite of the great efforts Mr. Phelps makes, 
 and the extraordinary care he has taken in studying 
 the part, and playing it with all the force he is capable of. 
 The dead level of villainy is so evenly maintained that 
 it becomes wearisome, and it appeared to me that Mr. 
 PheJps had to work very hard to keep alive the interest ; 
 and I believe that if during an act he were to relax his 
 efforts, and act only up to the level of all the other actors 
 and actresses I saw playing in the piece, people would say, 
 " What an ill-written, stupid mass of rubbish the play is !" 
 The dialogue is commonplace, and the characters are 
 commonplace, if nothing worse. What Sir Pertinax is, 
 we know from a description of himself to his sou ; and 
 we are asked to believe that the son is a man of brilliant 
 talent, and only requires, in his father's opinion, to be as 
 
S8 THE ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. 
 
 great a scoundrel as he is to be as great a man. To convince- 
 him of this, he gives him the history of his own wretched 
 life. Now, mark the dramatic improbability of this scene. 
 The son is represented as a young man of highly virtuous 
 and moral character, and spoken of and regarded as a man 
 of brilliant talent, and yet he quietly sits down and listens^ 
 like a miserable milksop, to his father telling a story of a 
 life so disgustingly wicked in every respect, that no man of 
 honour and spirit could have listened in silence ; but, on 
 the contrary, if he had the slightest spark of real honour- 
 able feeling he would have turned with loathing from his 
 parent, and in an outburst of honest indignation have told 
 him that his only regret was, that he was obliged to call, 
 such a scoundrel by the name of father, instead of which he- 
 seems, if anything, rather inclined to follow his example. 
 
 Pieces of this kind are happily so little in fashion at 
 the present time, that it would be unfair to too closely 
 criticise the acting, and, sooth to say, it would require 
 extraordinary acting to make the miserable, drunken, old- 
 Lord Lumbercourt otherwise than contemptible. The son, 
 appeared not a brilliant man, but a poor young man ; and 
 Lady Budolpha, most uninteresting, in spite of her laugh,, 
 dress, chatter, and curtsey. In the first scene the ser- 
 vant girl's part would, no doubt, in the good old times, have 
 mightily pleased, because it is coarse and indelicate ; and I 
 always notice when a remark is made on the stage that 
 ought not to be, there are ever some coarse-minded fellows 
 in the house, and I notice of the big, hulking style pro- 
 vincials probably that roar out a great big coarse laugh, 
 which shows exactly how few there are that care for 
 these coarse jokes, but what a great noise a dozen or so 
 fellows can create by all roaring out in chorus. This may 
 be agreeable to an author's ears, or an actor's ; but it would 
 
39 
 
 be well to remember that there are hundreds in the theatre 
 whose ears are offended, but their censure is silence. But 
 those who take a high view of the stage will think of the 
 opinion of persons of taste, and not these roaring blades. 
 
 As many critics are so fond of contrasting the stage of 
 the present with what is called the palmy days of the drama, 
 it is well to draw attention to the character of Sir Pertinax 
 Macsycophant, and compare it with a man of the present day 
 who affects sometimes to succeed in the world. Take for 
 example the charming comedy of " The Two Roses," in 
 which we have the commercial traveller turned saint. I 
 quite believe that this would give some sort of offence to 
 many persons of the present day. But not with reason; no 
 doubt he is a bit of a humbug, but he is almost ashamed of 
 himself, and is conscious that he is, and tries to soften it, 
 making himself as genial and jolly a saint as possible. The 
 character is cleverly drawn, and most admirably acted by 
 Mr. Honey, and all can laugh at and enjoy it without 
 offence. But Sir Pertinax glories in his villainy, and has 
 brought himself to believe that the only thing worth living 
 for is to be a villain and get siller. 
 
40 ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. 
 
 ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. 
 
 
 UNDER the management of the popular and talented Mrs. 
 John Wood, this theatre occupies, and most deservedly 
 occupies, a high position at the present time. 
 
 With regard to Mrs. Wood's talents as an actress, she 
 appears to me to be too clever a woman to excel as an 
 actress. This may appear a not very flattering remark to 
 others, but is not so in reality ; it is not necessary for an actor 
 or an actress to possess a very strongly-marked individuality 
 of his or her own ; but rather to be able to mould them- 
 selves so as to embody and represent the conceptions 
 of others, and to suit themselves to the character they 
 assume, and this accounts for what has often caused 
 surprise to find that, off the stage, actors instead of being 
 anything like what they are on the stage, are very often 
 so exceedingly quiet, and it may be also remarked that 
 thoughtful persons generally are. Mrs. Wood's talents 
 appear to be of a different kind, and such as would be more 
 likely to excel as a manageress, and in the business of life, 
 and I am sure on the London School Board for example 
 she would be an invaluable member, and I have no doubt 
 get through as much work in one hour as some steady-going 
 gentlemen would in two. 
 
 But I should not be surprised to find Mrs. Wood make a 
 brilliant hit when she gets a part that gives full scope for 
 the display of her talents, which she has not yet had, for 
 the greatest genius could not accomplish this in burlesque 
 of the present day. She is too clever, however, not to 
 perform whatever she undertakes well. 
 
ST. JAMES'S THEATHE. 41 
 
 Many ladies can hardly understand Mrs. Wood, and are 
 inclined to think she is vulgar; this is quite a mistake, and 
 arises from not discriminating properly between boldness 
 and vulgarity. She is too clever, and has too much taste to 
 be vulgar, but she has a boldness and earnestness of style of 
 her own, and is dashing and confident, qualities which she 
 displays in the management of her theatre, and in her 
 acting. 
 
 The revival of Mr. Craven's Realistic comedy of " Milky 
 White," and the performance of the author in the principal 
 character, is proof of how the public appreciate really well 
 written and well acted comedies. , 
 
 In the piece there are only five characters and^J^ scene./ 5 
 The whole interest is centred in the original, ably drawn, 
 wicked old Milky White, relieved by his genuine love for his 
 daughter. From the first moment to the last the interest 
 never flags ; we watch the development of the wicked old 
 fellow's character, up to the crisis in the first act, and the 
 gradual change that comes over him in the second, how his 
 cruelty to his daughter, and her loss, gradually soften him, 
 in spite of himself and the struggle between his good and 
 evil nature, is powerfully, truthfully, and yet amusingly 
 pourtrayed. 
 
 Mr. Craven's acting throughout is of the very highest 
 order ; indeed his delineation of both sides of the character, 
 warring with each other is a perfect study, and ought to be 
 witnessed by. every playgoer, and only want of physical 
 power, as it appeared to me, prevented him from giving 
 quite weight enough to the scene, where he overhears his 
 daughter, as he thinks, wishing him dead. This scene, there 
 can be no doubt, should be given with intense power, as it 
 is impossible to conceive a position that would bring out all 
 implacable hatred of a wicked man more, than hearing his 
 
42 ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. 
 
 own daughter whom he loved, and he believed loved him 
 coolly talking about his death. It would be impossible to 
 exaggerate the rage of a wicked old man in a scene of this 
 kind, and it certainly demanded greater force. This, how- 
 ever, may well be pardoned, where there is so much to admire 
 and delight, and it is not often that we witness an audience 
 wrought up to such a high pitch of enthusiasm as greeted Mr. 
 Craven when, after the other actors had appeared at the 
 conclusion, he appeared; the roar of delight seemed to swell 
 up from every voice in the theatre, and there was a ring 
 about it that we only hear on rare occasions. 
 
 Miss Brough's acting throughout was on a par with Mr. 
 Craven's ; in the earlier scenes so quiet, so natural, so real, 
 giving not the slightest idea of the power she would display 
 when necessary, but rather subdued and gentle, until her 
 father turns his anger upon her, and thrusts her out of his 
 home. The cries of anguish and entreaties to him were- 
 thrilling, and she displayed power of a high order, Equally 
 good was her singing in the first, and still more so in the 
 second, which demanded both voice and dramatic ability^ 
 and was charming from its unaffected simplicity and truth- 
 fulness. 
 
 The part of Dicky Duggs gave Mr. Brough full scope for 
 the display of his talents. In parts of this kind he is the 
 ablest actor on the stage at the present time. The make 
 up, the voice, the face, were all admirable ; the stupidity, 
 cowardice, impudence, and cunning, having all done full 
 justice too. 
 
 This piece is solely dependent upon the ability with 
 which it is written, the ability of the actors, and for the 
 strength and interest of the situation, the incidents being 
 few, and yet it was received with greater delight than any 
 piece I have witnessed on the stage for a long time. 
 
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. 43. 
 
 I am afraid there were reasons for the failure of " War "' 
 at this theatre that were not creditable to us, or, perhaps, a 
 combination of circumstances that affected it, apart from 
 its merits, and to some extent it may be accounted for by 
 the author writing for a different company, and one that he 
 did not understand well. The success of a piece, there 
 can be no doubt, apart from its merits, must always depend 
 upon collateral circumstances. For example, a knowledge 
 of the stage must be an immense advantage, as it enables 
 the writer to frame his piece with a thorough knowledge of 
 the wants of the stage, and to give effect to many scenes, 
 that in less practised hands', would be ineffective ; the next 
 advantage is for aujauthor to understand and fit the players 
 properly, for I believe if there is anything certain in acting, 
 it is that all, actors and actresses, have their peculiar forte, 
 and however well they may play in some parts, are quite 
 incapable of acting others. Some possess extraordinary ver- 
 satility, but I believe to excel, it is necessary to adopt the 
 style that suits their idosyncracies and to keep to it. Making, 
 actors play all sorts of characters tends to destroy their indi- 
 viduality, and makes them hacks, useful in all parts, but 
 never to excel in any, and this can only be accomplished by 
 our theatres keeping to their own style. Well written 
 pieces can do without much action, but badly written pieces 
 require a great deal to keep them going, the action prevent- 
 ing people from noticing the badness of the writing. When 
 the dialogue is good, too much action is a nuisance, as a 
 great deal of the dialogue is lost, which is a great fault, and, 
 most annoying. 
 
44: OLYMPIC. 
 
 OLYMPIC. 
 
 THIS theatre, under its present management, is well-known 
 as producing dramas of the domestic kind, and for plays 
 of this kind the company is very powerful. 
 
 Mr. Byron's drama, " Daisy Farm," described as of 
 4t Domestic Interest," might be called a well-written melo- 
 drama of the Surrey kind. The plot is* good and the char- 
 acters are well-drawn, but I candidly confess, I failed to 
 understand the last act, or how exactly it concluded. When 
 it opened, it appeared as if the conclusion would be in- 
 teresting and powerful, but it gradually dissolved, and what 
 became of the 500/. stolen by the son, and the difficulty 
 about the firgt husband, I know not. 
 
 Mr. Byron has a wonderful talent for making events and 
 circumstances fit. It is surprising how his villains are con- 
 tinuously dropping a will, or a locket, or something or 
 other that they ought not, and equally wonderful how these 
 unconsidered trifles find their way into the hands of those 
 they concern. Mr. Byron is a gentleman of the highest 
 courage, he laughs at improbabilities, his very boldness dis- 
 arms you, his jokes are generally introduced in serious 
 situations, where they shine with added lustre, so that 
 when witnessing Mr. Byron's piece, the most pathetic situ- 
 ations are sure to be relieved by an old joke or smart ob- 
 servation, that is certain to cause some persons to laugh, 
 to their delight no doubt, and the actor's success, perhaps, 
 and the author's smartness, of course. 
 
 Mr. Byron's mind might, not unfairly, be compared to a 
 second-hand clothes shop, where everything is kept, and if 
 
THE OLYMPIC. 45 ; 
 
 you will order what you want, you can have it at the 
 shortest possible notice. Of plots he has a large stock on 
 hand, incidents are easy to manufacture, as probability 
 is not of much consequence. Old jokes can be used, 
 altered, or amended, if necessary, so managers give your 
 orders, and Mr. Byron can supply you with a romantic 
 drama, comedy drama, burlesque, or anything else you 
 please, warranted to suit the public taste ; however much 
 opinions may differ as to the merits of his works, it cannot 
 be denied that he can cleverly fit his actors, and that this i& 
 a most useful talent. 
 
 Mr. Byron has a taste for and talent for strong situations, 
 improbable events, and smart sayings, and if he never does 
 anything very well, he will never be likely to fail, his 
 courage is sure to pull him through. 
 
 The best situation in this drama in my opinion is when 
 misfortunes crowd thick upon Daisy Farm ; Bridget Arm- 
 strong turns upon the friend, Mr. Craven, and regards him 
 as the cause of all their misfortunes. The weakness of the 
 women of this kind is very cleverly pourtrayed, and Mr. 
 Craven is also a well-drawn character ; it is a part easy to 
 play, and it receives full justice as played by Mr. Byron 
 himself, who appears to me to have taken Mr. Sothern a& 
 his model, and may be regarded as a mild edition of that 
 gentleman. Andrew Armstrong as played by Mr. George 
 Belmore, is a truthful and powerful representation of the 
 Derbyshire farmer, but Mr. Belmore's talents are too well- 
 known to require any notice from me. Indeed, all the 
 actors in the piece played their parts well, even in the 
 smallest, and this shows the advantage of actors keeping to 
 their own line, for a bad piece well acted is more likely to be 
 successful than a good piece badly acted. It would appear 
 more than absurd to produce a comedy at the Olympic for 
 
46 THE OLYMPIC. 
 
 the present company to perform in, why then should a com- 
 pany selected to play light pieces be asked to perform a 
 drama ? but this is not uncommon. 
 
 Miss Hughes, as Bridget Armstrong, played very nicely, 
 and Mrs. W. H. Listen played Cribbage in a manner that 
 does her taste and judgment great credit ; her make-up was 
 good, and her acting genuine, without vulgarity or the 
 stupid nonsense that some think it necessary to invest the 
 character of a servant. 
 
 This theatre deserves to succeed from the able manner in 
 which it presents pieces in its own line. Dramas of this 
 kind are very attractive to a great number of playgoers, 
 and there is nothing whatever in them that is in any way 
 objectionable; to young persons they are particularly at- 
 tractive, and as they always end happily, virtue triumphant, 
 tind vice punished, the moral tone is good. 
 
 The farce of the " Dumb Belles," is open to the same 
 objection as I have made against opening pieces at other 
 houses, but, as the patrons of this theatre are of a some- 
 what different class to those who patronise other houses 
 I have alluded to, these objections do not apply with the 
 same force. 
 
THE ROYALTY. 17 
 
 THE ROYALTY. 
 
 . " Behind a Mask " is, unquestionably, cleverly written, 
 but it is equally unquestionable that it is a very unequal 
 piece ; it is smart, witty, and amusing, but all the sentiment 
 is bad, not genuine, not English, but essentially French. 
 All allusions to the soul, and praying, and children are out 
 of place on the English stage. In the English character 
 there is a reverence that the French does not possess. 
 The author no doubt meant to create a great effect in the 
 part where the husband, after two years' absence, returns 
 and finds his wife, not dead, but insane. He wants to see 
 her ; her father interferes, and in solemn accents tells him 
 what has happened, and that she is then engaged teaching 
 her child, his child, to pray for the father who, &c. All 
 this is false, unreal, and fell flat. Mr. A. Wood could 
 not give it any effect, nor could Mr. C. H. Fenton 
 although he tried hard, make the scene effective. 
 
 Miss Hodson played Josephine Bellingham very charm- 
 ingly, but there is no doubt that it would be more effective 
 if pourtrayed by a very young person, for although Miss 
 Henrietta Hodson is no doubt a young lady, the part 
 appears to be written and suitable for a girl under twenty. 
 
 I am afraid the author of this piece has not much know- 
 ledge of children, or else has some that are very wonderful. 
 The child in question, according to the dates given, could 
 not be more that two years of age when she was praying 
 for her father. Children seldom speak at two years of age 
 at all, to say nothing about praying, and the child that we 
 get a glimpse of in Josephine Belling Jiangs arms is most 
 
THE ROYALTY. 
 
 certainly at least four ; of course it was not necessary to 
 produce the child at all, and, however interesting, those 
 fond of babies must smile at the size of the little two- 
 year-old, so that it fails to have the effect intended. The 
 scene in which Josephine addresses her father just before she 
 is going to leave him, is also French. English girls, when 
 they are going to fly from their father's house, are not in 
 the habit of having a scene beforehand, and asking forgive- 
 ness, and kneeling and crying. 
 
 The character of Mr. Bellingham did not suit Mr. A. 
 "Wood, and he tried to make too much of it. Mr. Sumner's 
 acting in this piece as Captain Chifney Challoner was 
 especially good, a thoroughly legitimate piece of acting, 
 exceedingly droll and absurd without his trying to be so, 
 and he was well supported by Mr. Bishop as his amateur 
 friend. 
 
 Mrs. Each el Sanger is the most versatile of ladies ; 
 nothing comes amiss to her ; pathetic parts, comic parts, 
 burlesque, singing parts ; she is really good in all. In 
 the burlesque of " Robin Hood," her acting and singing 
 were most admirable, dashing, saucy, lively and spirited. 
 Miss Hodson, I presume, considers her forte to be burlesque, 
 but I confess that she appears to me not to be dashing 
 enough to excel in burlesque. She is a very ladylike 
 burlesque actress. Miss Kate Egerton is very pleasing, and 
 in the burlesque of " Whittington " played well and looked 
 charming enough to turn the heads of all father's appren- 
 tices. I hope to see her in better parts than she plays in 
 " Robin Hood." 
 
 The burlesque of " Robin Hood " is exceedingly clever 
 and witty, but I fancy Mr. Reece is mistaken in introducing 
 on the stage political allusions. To allude to religion or 
 politics on the stage is at all times a dangerous experiment, 
 
THE ROYALTY. 49 
 
 and beyond question the introduction of SL reigning monarch 
 is in the very worst possible taste. It shocks the feelings 
 of respectable persons, and only pleases youth and vul- 
 garity, and it is most unfair to expose an actor to be 
 liissed, because he has to receive what is meant for the 
 author ; it is only fair to Mr. Bishop to say that he ap- 
 peared thoroughly ashamed of the part ridicule is a dan- 
 gerous weapon unless used with judgment. 
 
 In the drama entitled " Wealth," there was a servant 
 girl introduced, who said missus at least every three words, 
 and whose make up was unnecessarily dirty. Unfortu- 
 nately, we see quite enough that is unpleasiug of this kind 
 every day in the streets of London, and can do without it on 
 the stage. 
 
50 BUKLESQUES. 
 
 BURLESQUES. 
 
 WHATEVER opinions may exist about the decay of the- 
 drama, or whether it is improved or not, I fancy none will 
 dispute that burlesques have degenerated ; between " The 
 Critic " and the burlesques of the present day there is a wide 
 difference, a sad falling off. " The Critic " was a happy idea, 
 and the author had the field to himself; but unfortunately 
 all good things are imitated, and now every subject, whether 
 suitable or not, is turned into burlesque. Burlesque is 
 essentially an exotic, and can only be kept alive by ad- 
 ventitious aids. "The Critic" required nothing of the 
 kind, because the subject in itself afforded full scope for 
 Sheridan to write the best burlesque in the English 
 language, and it is attractive still, because every one can 
 understand it ; it applies as well to the present time as the 
 age in which it was written. 
 
 Madame Vestris tried to make burlesques attractive by 
 the aid of gorgeous scenery, and no doubt succeeded ; and 
 now they require absurd costumes, extravagant acting, 
 break downs, music, combined with outrageous punning, 
 and we are treated to a great deal of music, a great deal of 
 noise, funny songs, the words of which thanks to the 
 loudness of the music we can seldom hear, and unceasing 
 movement of each person and every person on the stage ; 
 indeed, the tendency appears to be the continually inventing 
 something new to keep alive the interest. Relying on the 
 dialogue for success is never thought of, so that they might 
 as well be badly as well written. 
 
 It would be impossible to deny that they are cleverly got 
 
BURLESQUES. 51 
 
 up and placed on the stage ; indeed, the pains bestowed is 
 out of all proportion to the result, and I am afraid the 
 leading idea in placing a burlesque on the stage at the 
 present time is to dazzle, puzzle, and amaze, by the glitter, 
 ingenuity, and novelty. This is necessary because there is 
 nothing in burlesques themselves that is attractive, and to 
 make them attractive they require adventitious and mere- 
 tricious aid. 
 
 Where there is a demand there is generally a supply ; 
 and so is it with regard to the performers in burlesques. I 
 admit there is talent, and I admire the talent, but I also 
 think that the tendency of burlesque acting is injurious ; 
 it is false and unreal, for the reason that there is nothing 
 true in it, it represents nothing in life. A really well- 
 written burlesque produced occasionally is all very well, 
 but it is altogether overdone; we can have music of all 
 kinds without burlesques, and dancing, and for those who 
 like a good laugh can see plenty of things more laughable 
 than a burlesque. The dancing is the principal attraction in 
 burlesques at the present time, a little of which is endur- 
 able, but a couple of hours of which is monotonous. 
 
 At the present time we have numerous actors and 
 actresses of fame and merit, each in their distinctive line, 
 but in burlesques there is not a single actor or actress that 
 excels, and those who are considered the best are much 
 more famous in some other line, as, for example, at the 
 present time, Mr. Brough is considered to have got a good 
 part as Black Brandon, but is he not far better known as 
 an actor of comedy ? Take the character of Dicky Duggs 
 in " Milky White," and see what an effect his acting pro- 
 duces, and contrast Black Brandon with it, and there is no 
 comparison. In the latter his make-up is as outrageous as 
 possible, and he works hard enough in all reason, but it 
 
 E 
 
52 BURLESQUES. 
 
 . r.._ 
 
 would be hard to say there is much amusement given or fun 
 in the part. " Ha, insulted again," is one of the sayings 
 that he has to rely upon to create laughter, and the other 
 is, "Black Brandon never forgets an injury," in addition to 
 which he has every five minutes to snap a pistol and 
 then blow into it. This may create a laugh once, but it is 
 not safe to rely upon it a second time. 
 
 At the Strand Theatre Mr. Harry Paulton's performance 
 as Ebenezer Block, is a genuine piece of comedy-acting of 
 real merit, and in the extravaganza this clever comedian 
 has to play a savage and deformed slave, utterly unworthy 
 of his talents. The same remarks apply in a greater or less 
 degree to Mr. H. J. Turner, whose acting as Benjamin 
 Bunn in " Neighbours,'' was very clever, and afforded 
 much greater amusement than in the prominent part he 
 played in the extravaganza. I am afraid burlesques cause 
 a sad loss of talent and money. 
 
 The word burlesque is really a misnomer. Properly 
 speaking, burlesques should be performed as if the 
 actors were totally unconscious that they were doing or 
 saying absurd things ; indeed, this should be the strong 
 point of burlesque, and what makes it really funny. But 
 this is now altogether lost, the whole thing having become 
 so absurd and extravagant that it is a burlesque burlesqued. 
 
 If some manager had the courage to place a well-written 
 burlesque on the stage, relying upon the dialogue, and let 
 every word be heard, I am inclined to think it would be 
 found that the public do not attach such great importance 
 to music and dancing as is supposed. It would have one 
 advantage we should hear what the author has to say, which 
 is not the case at the present time, and have less noise and 
 more sense. 
 
ENCORES. 53 
 
 ENCORES. 
 
 THE practice of encoring, whether in oratorios, operas, 
 concerts, or burlesques, is bad, and ought to be condemned 
 and abandoned. Mr. Sims Reeves is entitled to gratitude 
 for the courage he shows in discouraging it. 
 
 The first objection to it is that, supposing there are 
 one thousand persons present, one hundred, by making a 
 noise, can have a song or a dance repeated, the nine hundred, 
 as is generally the case, being passive, they submit to the dicta- 
 tion of the one hundred. I say one hundred, but a much 
 smaller number, if noisy and persistent enough, can do it ; but 
 supposing the nine hundred dissent, it only leads to increased 
 uproar on the part of the one hundred, and the easiest way to 
 stop the uproar is to comply. To encore appears to be 
 done from a generous motive; in reality it is a selfish 
 motive. Persons who do so like to get as much as 
 they can for their money, and it appears unkind to say 
 <c no," whereas it is, in reality, not at all so. 
 
 Another reason why encores are granted is that it, no 
 doubt, is regarded as a sign of approval, and it gratifies the 
 vanity of the singer. Granting this, it is no reason why it 
 should be complied with; those who are so very much 
 pleased might express it by hearty applause, without calling 
 upon the singer to do twice what he, or she, is only paid to 
 do once. 
 
 Now, assuming that a singer creates a powerful and pro- 
 found impression in any part, I ask why should he be called 
 upon to do so a second time ? The reply is, that it is a 
 compliment to him. Very good, it is a compliment if you 
 
54 ENCORES. 
 
 like. But does he want it? Certainly not. Is it any 
 gain to him? Certainly not. Why? Because you ask 
 him to sing the second time because, being a great singer, 
 he has delighted you. But suppose the opposite case, that 
 of an indifferent singer, you don't encore him. But if you 
 did it would be a great service to him, poor fellow. You 
 only encore that which is very good. Ah, but people say 
 singers like to be encored ; but even granting this, it does 
 not prove a singer's wisdom. The artist would be perfectly 
 justified in saying, I am paid to sing once, and I will not 
 sing twice. If you are so delighted you won't mind paying 
 to hear me a second time ; this will save my voice, and 
 prove the sincerity of your appreciation. If your butcher 
 sends you a prime leg of mutton, you do not prove you like 
 it by asking him for another for nothing, or if you like to 
 try it you would find Mr. Cleaver would say, I don't do 
 business in that way, you cannot have another without 
 paying for it. 
 
 Encoring is also an absurd practice, and an outrage upon 
 good taste, as interfering with the action of a piece, and 
 often destroys the effect of the situation, and an encored 
 song hardly ever produces the same effect the second as the 
 first time of singing. It is never asked for by persons of 
 judgment or taste, and ought to be abolished entirely. 
 
 There is in reality no more valid reason for encoring a 
 song or a dance than a fine piece of acting, and yet actors 
 can become famous without being encored. The surest 
 sign of a success is the manner in which an actor or singer 
 is received at the end of a piece. This is the legitimate 
 manner, and it is not difficult to tell by the reception what 
 the success has been ; besides, it is a generous way. The 
 actor or singer gives pleasure, and the audience say, come, 
 let us see you once more that we may thank you for your 
 
ENCORES. 55 
 
 efforts, and by the warmth of the reception, the success 
 can be measured. I like to hear the grand swell of the 
 voices in a full house when a great success has been 
 achieved ; there is a sound about it that tells how all hearts 
 have been moved. 
 
 I wish some bold manager or manageress would try the 
 experiment, and in their advertisements or bills say 
 " Encores are strictly forbidden." I fancy it would work 
 admirably, because, even if some foolish persons were to 
 attempt to encore, sensible people, knowing it was not 
 allowed, would immediately and readily say, et No." 
 
56 LAUGHING. 
 
 LAUGHING. 
 
 LAUGHING in theatres must be regarded as one of the chief 
 drawbacks to our enjoyment. In broad farces there is no- 
 objection, because you do not want to hear so much as to 
 see, but it is really surprising how easy it is to make some 
 persons laugh, it is positively unfair, unfair I mean on the 
 part of the author to put in old jokes that fall flat on nineteen - 
 twentieths of the audience, and amuse the one-twentieth 
 part ; but I am afraid that authors have but too often a great 
 respect for that miserable one-twentieth, and if one should 
 happen to be near one of them it is unbearable. Sometimes 
 they are jolly big fellows, and they not alone roar, but have a 
 habit of throwing their heads back, and then see-sawing or 
 rocking from side to side, fairly rolling about with delight. 
 Oh! this is unbearable, these creatures ought to have a 
 theatre all to themselves. I remember some years ago 
 being at The Haymarket with a friend, sitting near a man 
 that I at first really thought was insane, and next thought 
 he was crying ; he was leaning down with his elbow on his 
 knee, and his pocket handkerchief to his eyes, not laughing 
 loudly, but silently, convulsively, helplessly. I watched 
 him for five minutes, and finding we could not hear, and that 
 he gave no signs of recovering, we moved to the other side. 
 Poor fellow, he did not seem to enjoy it, he was past that ^ 
 that man no doubt was in pain, suffering from an over fit of 
 laughing, but what at, was only apparent to himself. 
 
 It is impossible not to be struck in the Prince of Wales's 
 Theatre with the remarkable silence to which the pieces are 
 listened to. Why ? Because the author and the actors have 
 
LAUGHING. 5T 
 
 such a hold on the intelligence of the audience, that the 
 latter are too anxious to hear to interrupt, more than they 
 can possibly help ; and this is vastly more enjoyable than to 
 hear people laughing at unseemly jokes and smart remarks 
 that can only please the most childish minds. Applause is 
 not, in my opinion, to be always taken as a sign of success, 
 because persons who applaud the loudest are but too often 
 those, who lacking sense, try to supply its place by noise. 
 Such persons are almost always vulgar, noisy, and empty 
 headed, and are, most unfortunately, totally unconscious of 
 their misfortune. 
 
58 THE VOICE. 
 
 THE VOICE. 
 
 IT is not uncommon for persons to object to actors because 
 they have a distinctive voice that you can always recognise. 
 
 Take for example, Mr. Phelps's voice, Mrs. Bancroft's 
 voice, or Mr. Bancroft's voice. Blindfold you could never 
 make a mistake in recognising them by their voice, in any 
 character, or anywhere. 
 
 Now take the majority of the actors or actresses that 
 lately played in " The Man of the World," at the Princess's. 
 Shut your eyes and listen, and you will hear persons talking 
 in the conventional stage style, which they have learned like 
 parrots, the same inflections, the same modulations all arti- 
 ficial, monotonous, and very disagreeable, without the slightest 
 charm. These artificial stage voices,'are not agreeable ; the 
 voice should change as scene and circumstances require, but 
 preserve that charm which is all their own, and which really 
 never fails to please. 
 
 Adopt the stage voice and you will be a stagey actor, 
 -and most disagreeable. Cultivate your natural voice ; 
 make it as agreeable, as flexible, as expressive as you can, 
 but do not try to get rid of the charm which nature has 
 given you, to adopt that which nature never intended. 
 
 But it is not the stage only to which these observations 
 apply, it is the same in the church ; go to any one of twenty 
 churches, where there are not known good preachers, and 
 the same thing will strike you. They have all learnt in 
 one school ; they all read just the same as they have been 
 taught ; instead of trying to improve whatever style nature 
 Jias given them, they adopt the sing-song style and all 
 
THE VOICE. 59 
 
 originality is destroyed, the only difference being, that the 
 High Church clergymen have more of the sing-song style 
 than their Low Church brethren. 
 
 The same observations apply to the dissenting ministers, 
 but being extemporary, theirs is altogether different, neces- 
 sitating their indulging in a stereotyped kind of declamation, 
 which, being artificial, they are apt to use in the wrong 
 place ; this sometimes has an odd effect, as for example, 
 when the preacher's words give no intimation that it is ne- 
 cessary ; and I have often wondered what has been going 
 on in his mind, his words being so gentle and his manner 
 so ranting, and this is the result of being taught in a bad 
 style, made worse by want of knowledge how, properly, to 
 use it. 
 
60 PLAY BILLS. 
 
 PLAY BILLS. 
 
 AMONGST other improvements introduced into theatres of 
 late, I notice, " The Bill of the Play, Sir." The old bills 
 were no doubt invented by the makers of white kid gloves, 
 with the laudable view of increasing trade in that depart- 
 ment ; and to show how old customs remain, these horrid 
 things are still retained in some theatres. Our forefathers 
 no doubt better understood the printing when written 
 large. I never could discover that they possessed any 
 other advantage, and it certainly seems obvious enough 
 that a clean, neat, moderate sized sheet of paper, is more 
 convenient than one a yard long, daubed all over with fresh 
 and smiling printer's ink. The change, however, has only 
 one disadvantage, that it enables the ingenious Mr. Rimmel 
 to torture our olfactory nerves and advertize his wares at the 
 same time. It is not, I confess, pleasant to be overpowered 
 with a floating odour of hay strongly impregnated with 
 patchouli, for that is what the scent he now affects reminds 
 one of. It would be as well to let those who like scents 
 buy and select for themselves, and for those who do not, to 
 be allowed to enjoy the pleasure of doing without them. 
 
CONCLUSION. 61 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 I should be very glad if in writing a work of this kind, 
 my task could be accomplished by praising all around, for I 
 assert with perfect confidence that to praise is a much more 
 agreeable task than to find fault, either much or little. 
 
 I have no desire, and there is no necessity, in writing 
 upon the drama to say anything that is unkind, and I shall 
 be sorry if I have done so. My feeling towards the stage 
 is of quite a different nature to that, many, although 
 strangers, I regard as kind friends, for have they not given me 
 many hours of pure delight, for which I feel grateful, and 
 this perhaps is the greatest and best charm in an actor's 
 life, the consciousness that on the other side of the foot- 
 lights they have many kind friends whom they have charmed 
 and delighted, that always receive them with a warm 
 pressure of the hands when they appear, and still warmer 
 thanks when they make their exit, and with this kind 
 feeling, for the present, do I take my leave of the stage of 
 1871. 
 
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