Clowns -- Great Britain -- Biography; Grimaldi, Joseph, 1779-1837
The title of this pantomime, which was produced at Drury Lane,
was, "Harlequin Amulet; or, the Magic of Mona;" it was written by
Mr. Powell, and produced under the superintendence of Mr. James
Byrne, the ballet-master. It was highly successful, running without
intermission from the night of its production until Easter, 1800. This
harlequinade was distinguished by several unusual features besides its
great success; foremost among them was an entire change both in the
conception of the character of Harlequin and in the costume. Before
that time it had been customary to attire the Harlequin in a loose
jacket and trousers, and it had been considered indispensable that
he should be perpetually attitudinizing in five positions, and doing
nothing else but passing instantaneously from one to the other, and
never pausing without being in one of the five. All these conventional
notions were abolished by Byrne, who this year made his first
appearance as Harlequin, and made Harlequin a very original person to
the play-going public. His attitudes and jumps were all new, and his
dress was infinitely improved: the latter consisted of a white silk
shape, fitting without a wrinkle, and into which the variegated silk
patches were woven, the whole being profusely covered with spangles,
and presenting a very sparkling appearance. The innovation was not
resisted: the applause was enthusiastic; "nor," says Grimaldi, "was it
undeserved; for, in my judgment, Mr. James Byrne[26] was at that time
the best Harlequin on the boards, and never has been excelled, even if
equalled, since that period."
The alteration soon became general, and has proved a lasting one,
Harlequin having been ever since attired as upon this memorable
occasion, in accordance with the improved taste of his then
representative.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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