"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 1 of 3)Doran, Dr. (John)
History
"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 1 of 3)
Doran, Dr. (John)
Actors -- Great Britain; Theater -- Great Britain -- History
Mrs. Blagg was herself not the less a lovely actress for being a
discreet and virtuous young lady. In 1675[71] Evelyn saw her act in
Crowne's masque-comedy, "Calisto, or the Chaste Nymph." His friend
acted in a noble but mixed company--all ladies--namely, the Ladies
Mary and Anne, afterwards Queens of England, the Lady Henrietta
Wentworth, afterwards the evilly-impelled favourite of the Duke of
Monmouth, and Miss Jennings, subsequently the sharp-witted wife of
the great Duke of Marlborough. There were others of less note, with
professional actresses to aid them, while a corps-de-ballet of peers
and nymphs of greater or less repute, danced between the acts. For
the piece, or for the interludes, Evelyn had less admiration than
he had for Mrs. Blagg's splendour. She had about her, he informs
us, £20,000 worth of jewels, of which she had lost one worth about
£80, borrowed of the Countess of Suffolk. "The press was so great,"
he adds, "that it is a wonder she lost no more;" and the intimation
that "the Duke" (of York) "made it good," shows that Mrs. Blagg was
fortunate in possessing the esteem of that not too liberal prince.
The entire stage arrangements at Whitehall were not invariably
of a liberal character, and the audiences must have had, on some
occasions, an uncourtly aspect; "people giving money to come in," he
writes in this same year 1675, "which was very scandalous, and never
so before at Court-diversions."
Of the turbulence of audiences in those days, there are many
evidences on record. It was sometimes provoked, at others altogether
unjustifiable, and always more savage than humorous. In 1669, Mrs.
Corey gratified Lady Castlemaine, by giving an imitation of Lady
Harvey, throughout the whole of the part of Sempronia, in "Catiline's
Conspiracy." Lady Harvey, much excited, had influence enough with
her brother, Edward Montagu, Lord Chamberlain, to induce him to
lock Mrs. Corey up, for her impertinence. On the other hand, Lady
Castlemaine had still greater influence with the King; and not only
was Mrs. Corey released, but she was "ordered to act it again, worse
than ever." Doll Common, as the actress was called, for her ability
in playing that part in the "Alchymist," repeated the imitation,
with the required extravagance, but not without opposition; for Lady
Harvey had hired a number of persons, some of whom hissed Doll, while
others pelted her with fruit, and the King looked on the while,
amazed at the contending factions, whose quarrels subsequently
brought him much weariness in the settling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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