*p1796 03 12 dl The Iron Chest. Characters by Kemble, Wroughton, Bannister Jun., Dodd, Barrymore, Suett, Master Welsh, Kelly, R. Palmer, Dignum, Sedgwick, Phillimore, Bannister, Master Webb, Banks, Hollingsworth, Trueman, Webb, Maddocks, Key, Whitmell, Miss Farren, Mrs Gibbs, Miss Tidswell, Sga Storace, Miss Granger, Miss DeCamp. Cast from text (<i>Cadell & Davies</i>, 1796), and <i>London Chronicle</i>, 14 Mar.: Sir Edward Mortimer-Kemble; Fitzharding-Wroughton; Wilford-Bannister Jun.; Adam Winterton-Dodd; Rawbold-Barrymore; Samson-Suett; Boy-Master Welsh; Armstrong-Kelly; Orson-R. Palmer; Robbers-Dignum, Sedgwick, Phillimore, Bannister; Robber's Boy-Master Webb; Peter-Banks; Cook-Hollingsworth; Gregory-Trueman; Simon-Webb; Walter-Maddocks; Helen-Miss Farren; Blanch-Mrs Gibbs; Dame Rawbold-Miss Tidswell; Barbara-Sga Storace; Girl-Miss Granger; Judith-Miss DeCamp; unassigned-Keys, Whitmell.*a1796 03 12 dl Harlequin Captive. ^See17960122^.*s1796 03 12 dl Mainpiece: The General Chorus-Cooke, Danby, Evans, Welsh, Wentworth, J. Fisher, Master DeCamp, Master Gregson, Atkins, Brown, Denman, Fisher, Tett, Aylmer, Caulfield Jun., Dibble, Gallot, Willoughby, Annereau, Bardoleau, Cook, Miss Arne, Mrs Boimaison, Mrs Bramwell, Mrs Butler, Miss Mellon, Miss Wentworth, Mrs Maddocks, Miss Chatterley, Miss Menage, Miss Stuart, Miss Jackson.*c1796 03 12 dl Mainpiece [1st time; MD 3, by $George Colman, ynger=]: The Scenery and Dresses are entirely new. The Musick composed by $Storace=.The Scenes designed and executed by $Greenwood= and $Capon= [the Gothic library was painted by Capon (<i>Oracle</i>, 21 Mar. 1796)]. The Dresses by $Johnston=, $Gay= and $Miss Rein=. Books of the Songs to be had in the Theatre. [When Colman published his play he prefaced it with an acrimonious attack on $Kemble=, in which he accused him of deliberately trying to make the play a failure. But almost without exception the contemporary reviews excused Kemble's performance on the grounds of his obvious indisposition, and agreed that the play itself was unsatisfactory. "The play failed, and we are sorry to say did not merit to succeed...Kemble, who was tormented With an incessant cough, said he could not but be sensible that much of the displeasure of the house proceeded from his deficiency in a principal character...The whole audience with one voice cried out, 'No, no, Kemble-it is not your fault'" (Oracle, 14 Mar.). "The dialogue is extremely heavy, and there is little or no incident to relieve the tedium of more than four hours representation...<i>Sir Edward Mortimer</i>r is a being distracted, with no adequate cause; a prey to remorse, which he of all men was the last to feel from the principles that make up his being. This therefore is the radical moral defect of the piece. But there is another which, though not equally strong, is equally fatal: there is no progression of interest, there is no involution of plot, there is no development of character" (<i>Star</i>, 14 Mar.). Other notices of the opening night were much in the same vein. Subsequently Colman revised the play, and it held the stage for many years. "The curtailments which have been made shorten the representation near an hour and a half, and the alterations are many and judicious" (Morning Herald, 21 Mar. 1796). Morning Herald, 23 July 1796: This Day is published <i>The Iron Chest</i> (2s.). Receipts: #471 9s. (468.13; 2.16).