Clowns -- Great Britain -- Biography; Grimaldi, Joseph, 1779-1837
The next point to be considered was, how Bradbury could accept the
money without compounding a felony, and increasing the obloquy already
cast upon the thief. He hit upon and carried into execution a most
singular plan:--he caused the report to be circulated that he had
suddenly become insane--committed many extravagant acts--and in a short
time was, apparently against his own will, but in reality by his own
contrivance, deprived of his liberty, and conveyed to the asylum where
Grimaldi visited him. The consequence of this step was, that when the
stealer of the snuff-box was placed upon his trial, no prosecutor
appearing, he was adjudged not guilty, and liberated accordingly.
Intelligence of this was directly sent to Bradbury, who proceeded to
make arrangements for his own release: this was soon effected, and it
was on the eve of the day of his departure that Grimaldi saw him in the
madhouse. His only object in writing, or rather, in causing the letter
to be written, for he could not write a line himself, nor read either,
was, to ask him to play for his ensuing benefit at the Surrey Theatre,
which he readily consented to do; then wishing him a speedy deliverance
from his disagreeable abode, he took his departure.
The next day Bradbury came out of the asylum, telling everybody that
he was perfectly recovered, having got well in as sudden a manner as he
fell ill, and in the following week his benefit took place. Grimaldi
played and sang for him, and took money at the gallery door, to boot.
The house was quite full, and everything went on well until Bradbury
made his appearance, when, impelled by some strange and sudden whim, he
was guilty of a disgusting piece of irreverence and impertinence. The
consequence of this was, that the audience very naturally and properly
took great offence, and upon a repetition of the conduct, literally
hooted him from the stage.
This was the ruin of Bradbury as a pantomimist. He did not appear
again in London for many years, and, although he played occasionally
in the country theatres, never afterwards regained his former rank
and celebrity in the profession. As far as pecuniary matters were
concerned, it did not matter much to him, the annuity affording him a
handsome independence; but whether he afterwards sold it and dissipated
the money, or whether the annuity itself was discontinued in the course
of years, this at least is certain, that when he died, which he did in
London, in 1828, he was in very indifferent circumstances, if not in
actual want.
In October, Covent Garden commenced the new campaign, and brought
forward "Mother Goose," which ran, with the same degree of success as
before, until nearly Christmas, and was played altogether twenty-nine
times.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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