In and About Drury Lane, and Other Papers Vol. 1 (of 2): Reprinted from the pages of the 'Temple Bar' Magazine — John Shaqi
In and About Drury Lane, and Other Papers Vol. 1 (of 2): Reprinted from the pages of the 'Temple Bar' MagazineDoran, Dr. (John)
General
In and About Drury Lane, and Other Papers Vol. 1 (of 2): Reprinted from the pages of the 'Temple Bar' Magazine
Doran, Dr. (John)
London (England) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Theater -- England -- London -- Anecdotes
It is to be noted here that Master Betty’s first appearance in Dublin
in 1803 was a more triumphant matter than John Kemble’s in 1781. This
was in the older Smock Alley Theatre. The alley was so called from the
Sallys who most did congregate there. He played high comedy as well
as tragedy; but, says Mr. Gilbert, in his ‘History of Dublin,’ ‘his
negligent delivery and heaviness of deportment impeded his progress
until these defects were removed by the instruction of his friend,
Captain Jephson.’ Is not this delicious? Fancy John Kemble being
made an actor by a half-pay captain who had written a tragedy! This
tragedy was called the ‘Count of Narbonne,’ and therein, says Gilbert,
‘Kemble’s reputation was first established.’ It was not on a very firm
basis, for John was engaged only on the modest salary of 5_l._ a week!
Master Betty’s progress through the other parts of Ireland was as
completely successful as at Dublin and Belfast. Mrs. Pero engaged
him for six nights at Cork. His terms here were one-fourth of the
receipts and one clear benefit, that is to say, the whole of the
receipts free of expense. As the receipts rarely exceeded ten pounds,
the prospects were not brilliant. But, with Master Betty, the ‘houses’
reached one hundred pounds. The smaller receipts may have arisen from
a circumstance sufficient to keep an audience away. There was a Cork
tailor hanged for robbery; but, after he was cut down, a Cork actor,
named Glover, succeeded, by friction and other means, in bringing him
to life again! On the same night, and for many nights, the tailor,
drunk and unhanged, _would_ go to the theatre and publicly acknowledge
the service of Mr. Glover in bringing him to life again! And it _is_
said that he was the third tailor who had outlived hanging during ten
years!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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