30 September 1761
Event Information
Theatre:
Drury Lane Theatre
Theatrical Season:
1761-1762
Volume:
4
Comments:
Full Prices. There will not be room behind the Scenes for more than the persons acting in the coronation, [Others] cannot possibly be admitted. The coronation of their Majesties was followed by a stage representation of it at both houses...Garrick knew that Rich would spare no expense in the presentation of his show; he knew too that he had a taste in the ordering, dressing, and setting out these pompous processions, superior to his own; he therefore was contented with the old dresses which had been occasionally used from 1721-1761. This show he repeated for near forty nights successively, sometimes at the end of a play, and at other times after a farce. The exhibition was the meanest, and the most unworthy of a theatre, I ever saw. The stage was...opened into Drury Lane; and a new and unexpected sight surprised the audience, of a real bonfire, and the populace huzzaing and drinking porter to the health of Queen Anne Bullen. The Stage in the meantime, amidst the parading of Dukes, duchesses, archbishops, peeresses, heralds &c. was covered with a thick fog from the smoke of the fire, which served to hide the tawdry dresses of the processionalists. During this idle piece of mockery, the actors, being exposed to the suffocations of smoke, and the raw air from the open street, were seized with colds, rheumatisms, and swelled faces. At length the indignation of the audience delivered the comedians from this wretched badge of nightly slavery, which gained nothing to the managers but disgrace and empty benches. Tired with the repeated insult of a show which had nothing to support it but gilt copper and old rags, they fairly drove the exhibitors of it from the stage by hooting and hissing, to the great joy of the whole theatre....Rich...fully satisfied [the publick's] warmest imaginations (Davies, Life of Garrick, I, 365 ff.)
Performance List
Mainpiece
Title:
King Henry Viii
Comments:
Henry-Bransby; Wolsey-Havard; Norfolk-Palmer; Gardiner-Yates; Queen-Mrs Pritchard; Anne Bullen-Mrs Yates; Surrey-Davies; Lord Chamberlain-Kennedy; Cranmer-Burton; Suffolk-Blakes; Patience (with a proper song)-Miss Young; Buckingham-Holland.
Henry-Bransby; Wolsey-Havard; Norfolk-Palmer; Gardiner-Yates; Queen-Mrs Pritchard; Anne Bullen-Mrs Yates; Surrey-Davies; Lord Chamberlain-Kennedy; Cranmer-Burton; Suffolk-Blakes; Patience (with a proper song)-Miss Young; Buckingham-Holland.
Cast:
- Role: Henry Actor: Bransby
- Role: Wolsey Actor: Havard
- Role: Norfolk Actor: Palmer
- Role: Gardiner Actor: Yates
- Role: Queen Actor: Mrs Pritchard
- Role: Anne Bullen Actor: Mrs Yates
- Role: Surrey Actor: Davies
- Role: Lord Chamberlain Actor: Kennedy
- Role: Cranmer Actor: Burton
- Role: Suffolk Actor: Blakes
- Role: Patience Actor: Miss Young
- Role: Buckingham Actor: Holland.
Afterpiece
Comments:
The Ceremony of the Championin Westminster Hall-.
The Ceremony of the Championin Westminster Hall-.