Amongst the more notable performances of _The Emperor of the Moon_ were
two at Dorset Garden on the 16 and 21 November, 1706, when Estcourt
acted Scaramouch, and Pinkethman, Harlequin. On 3 September, 1708, at
Drury Lane, Bullock was Scaramouch; Bickerstaffe, Harlequin; Johnson,
the old Doctor; Powell, Don Cinthio. At Lincoln’s Inn Fields, 28 June,
1717, Bullock again sustained Scaramouch and had Spiller as his
Harlequin. Four years later, 6 February, 1721, they were acting the same
rôles at this theatre, with Mrs. Cross as Bellemante, and Quin, Ryan, in
the cast. The farce was repeated on 25 October of the same year. Bullock
and Spiller kept their favourite parts, Hall was Baliardo; Quin,
Cinthio; Ryan, Charmante; Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil; Mrs. Bullock,
Bellemante. Doggett’s _The Country Wake_ was played the same night. Ten
years later, still at this theatre, on 20 October, 1731, Hall was again
Baliardo and Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil. On this occasion Pinkethman played
Harlequin; Hippisley, Scaramouch; Milward, Charmante; and Chapman,
Cinthio. The farce was put on as a first piece at Covent Garden, 14
February, 1739. Pinkethman was Harlequin; Rosco, Scaramouch; Arthur, the
Doctor; Hallam, Charmante; Hall, Cinthio; Mrs. James, Mopsophil; Mrs.
Vincent, Elaria; and the fair Bellamy, Bellemante. In 1748 there was a
curious rivalry between the two theatres when both produced _The Emperor
of the Moon_ on the same night, 26 December. At Covent Garden, where it
was billed ‘not acted 10 years’, and produced as a first piece at
considerable expense with magnificent decorations, Cushing played
Harlequin; Dunstall, Scaramouch; Sparks, Baliardo; Ryan, Charmante;
Delane, Cinthio; Peg Woffington, Bellemante; and the Bellamy, Elaria.
It was, however, a dead failure and only acted twice. Contrary to
expectation Cushing was very bad as Harlequin, whilst at Drury Lane
Woodward was excellent. At the Lane, where it was played with Mrs.
Centlivre’s _A Bold Stroke for a Wife_ and billed ‘not acted 20 years’,
Yates took Scaramouch; Palmer, Charmante; King, Cinthio; Winstone,
Baliardo; Miss Murgatroyd, Bellemante; and the inimitable Mrs. Green,
Mopsophil. A great effect was produced when Harlequin is tossed in a
blanket, Act iii. Two long strips were sewn to the sides of the blanket
by which he held. From the front, however, they were invisible, and as
it seemed that Woodward was being thrown to a dangerous height this
spectacle immensely pleased the galleries.
In 1777 _The Emperor of the Moon_, very unnecessarily altered and by no
means bettered ‘with the addition of several airs, duets, and choruses
selected from other compositions’ (8vo, 1777), was produced at the
Patagonian Theatre. This theatre was situated in Exeter Change, Strand,
on a portion of the site of Burleigh House, the town house of the great
Lord Treasurer, which was afterwards known as Exeter House. It is very
doubtful if the theatre existed as such later than 1779.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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