Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

make the unskilful laugh, make the judicious grieve.'

"Our stage is still barbarous in respect of costume. A short waist, a modish head-dress, are often coupled in the old plays, with a Grecian robe and a Gothic ruff. I have seen Woodward and Dodd wear white satin heels to their shoes; and Lewis, too, in such a dress as could only be fitting a mountebank in a fair. Mr. O'Brien made this also an object of his best study.

[ocr errors]

"I saw the Guardian' the other night. Mr. Murray and Miss Wallis, in their respective characters, were absolute perfection, but the Young Clackit, though represented by a performer of real merits, was marred by being ill-dressed.

"I wish you could see Mr. Fawcett in A Cure for the Heart-Ache:' his representation of the rustic is nature herself. Garrick never exhibited a closer portrait. Your humble servant,

"HARCOURT."

The benefit took place on the 26th of April, and was tolerably good, the earl and party occupying a box. Elliston, on this occasion, produced a piece entitled, "The Venetian Outlaw," dramatized by himself, from Lewis's Romance, "The Bravo of Venice." The production was successful, and was repeated sundry times before the termination of the

season.

[Charles Robert Elliston, born 5th Nov. 1804. Godfather, James Slade, Esq.]

CHAPTER XI.

Colman disposes of half his interest in the Haymarket TheatreWinston-Failures at that establishment-Elliston's fracas with Mathews-Statement of the case by the actors"Three and the Deuce"-Outbreak at the HaymarketInsurrection of the Tailors-Liston's first appearanceElliston plays Sir Harry Wildair-An awkward criticismHumorous outrage on Dowton-His revenge-Separation of Colman and Elliston-Warner Phipps-His admonitory letter Mr. Perry - London Clubs-" The Humbug"Forms of matriculation-Elliston at Dublin-Meets with a brother runaway.

COLMAN'S negotiation with Messrs. Morris, Winston,* and Tahourdine, for the sale of one moiety of the Haymarket property, and the result of a purchase by those gentlemen, greatly disconcerted the subject of these Memoirs.

* Mr. Winston died on the 9th of July last, at his house in Charles Street, Covent Garden. From this gentleman, the writer of the present memoirs received the greater part of the documents, letters, &c., appertaining to the life of Elliston, and also much theatrical matter incidental to the actor's time. Mr. Winston was remarkable for his accurate information on dramatic affairs and histrionic biography, connected with the last

HAYMARKET FAILURES.

269

Again had Elliston been baffled in his views of partnership-Bath, Liverpool, the Haymarket!— thrice had he been thwarted in his besetting ambition; and he now met Colman, at the commencement of his third and last season on the Haymarket boards, with no feelings of cordiality, and scarcely the sentiment of good will.

The cause of the above sale was the heavy loss on the two experimental seasons, particularly the last, in which Colman had made an effort to rival his gigantic neighbour the Opera-house, encountering the monster on its own grounds, and attempting to wield those mighty engines fitted only to the grasp of his opponent.

With the courage of David, but without his judgment, Colman beheld the Goliah still unhurt; and having exhausted his resources in a vain attempt at the splendour and pageantry of ballet, was now compelled to take steps of a far different fashion, and put up with the more homely condition of ordinary time" and common sense.

[ocr errors]

"The Enchanted Island," which he had lately produced, was an illusion in opposite effects to those he had anticipated-that the money went like magic,

half century, which, to the lovers of the stage, rendered his society highly agreeable. He was one of the most active and serviceable friends Elliston ever possessed.

In 1835, Mr. Morris became sole proprietor of the Haymarket Theatre by purchase of all the shares.

[blocks in formation]

there is no denying, for the manager expended on this ill-judged experiment no less than 1600., of which his "Enchanted Island" did not recover to him one shilling.

Elliston was likewise deprived of his position as stage-manager, that office being now given to Winston; but he still retained its emoluments, which, with his pay as actor, amounted, at the close of the season, (1805,) to 5591.

On the 18th of July, a petite comedie, written by Cherry, under the title of "The Village; or, The World's Epitome," was produced at this theatre.

Considerable opposition attended the progress of the piece; and in the second act, Elliston, under the old impulse, stepped forward, begging earnestly that the audience would hear it to the close, which request he actually impressed on his bended knee; an appeal powerful as that of Lord Brougham himself, who no doubt had treasured up the effect, at the concluding sentence of his celebrated speech on Reform. The petition was granted-but the "World's Epitome," unlike "the whole bill," did not pass into a law, for it was damned on the first reading, and the curtain fell amidst the yells and hootings of an indignant audience.

The froissement, however, was not confined to the body of spectators, for a difference taking place between Mathews and Elliston, in the coulisses, the former accusing our hero of some neglect, Elliston

ELLISTON AND MATHEWS.

271

responded in that peculiar language which never fails "to stir men's blood," and a blow from his irritated antagonist was the prompt rejoinder.

At the commencement of the farce, Elliston, under great excitement, made a rambling appeal to the audience, but here also he appeared to get the worst of it, although he had withdrawn the play, at the sentence of the house, which had so emphatically pronounced, there should be no two bites at a Cherry.

On the following day, a letter by Robert William appeared in the public prints.

[ocr errors]

Haymarket Theatre, July 20, 1805. "SIR,-Some misrepresentations having taken place respecting an occurrence at this theatre, last night, in which I was a party, I beg leave to state it correctly.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

It is true that a momentary altercation did arise between Mr. Mathews and myself, which was attended with some warmth on both sides, but it is not true that I was knocked down twice,' nor indeed that I was knocked down at all. Nor is it true that, I was placed in any situation humiliating to the feelings of a man, or derogatory to the character of a gentleman.

"What the circumstances were, I will not intrude on the public. I only explain what they were not. It is enough for me to say that, there is every probability of Mr. Mathews and myself becoming

« PreviousContinue »