Event Comment: t foot of Bill]: Whenever a Pantomime or Farce shall be advertised, the advanced prices shall be returned to those who do not choose to stay; and on Thursday next will be published the
Manager's reasons for his conduct in the present dispute.
Winston MS.:
Fleetwood, the
manager, and servants driven from doors & all rushed in.
Genest, IV, 137-38: A country gentle
man was taken from an upper box and carried before a magistrate. This step when known by the audience occasioned much mischief. Acting the play not allowed.
General Advertiser, 22 Nov.: An Address to the Public,
dl Theatre 20 November. As the extraordinary disturbances which have lately happened at this theatre greatly affect the diversions of the publick, as well as the property of the
manager, he thinks it incumbent on him to justify his conduct by giving a fair statement of the case....The reasons of complaint assigned, he apprehends, are the exhibition of Pantomimes, Advanced Prices, and Insults on the audience--as to the first, he submits it to be considered that however distasteful such pieces may be to the delicacy of some judgments, yet there are others to whose taste they are suited; as the playhouse may be considered as the general mart of pleasure, it is only from the variety of entertainment, the different tastes of the public can be supplied--of this the receipts of the house are a sufficient evidence, it being notorius, how necessary the addition of such pieces is towards procuring the best play a numerous audience. With regard to the advanced prices, the
Manager hoped he should in some measure be justified by the great increase of the charges of the theatre which, notwithstanding any reduction that has been made, are still at least a fourth part greater than usual--but as in this point he has already submitted, he conceives it can no longer remain the subject of their displeasure, especially as by an advertisement handed about the theatre it was said that every objection would cease, when the
manager consented to return the advanced prices to those, who did not choose to be tortured with entertainments. As to insults on the audience...last week upon some persons flinging the sconces and candles on the stage a quarrel arose, in the confusion of which a Gentle
man was secured, but by whom the
Manager knows not, nor ever gave any order, or was any acquainted with the affair till after he was discharged, for the truth of which he refers to the affidavit annexed. As to the accusation of several bruisers (as they are termed) being employed on Saturday night to insult Gentlemen, the
Manager declares, that there was none but the Peace Officers, Carpenters, and Scene-men (which on account of the Entertainments are very numerous) and other servants belonging to the theatre; nor did they appear till urged by the tumult, by tearing up benches and threat'ning to come on the stage and demolish the scenes; nor could the
Manager apprehend this legal precaution to prevent mischief and defend his property would ever be construed as an infringement on the liberty of an audience, especially when it is considered, what great damages he sustained some years ago on an attempt of the like nature--if any such persons appeared in the pit, the
Manager presumes, they must have come in with the multitude, after his doorkeepers were drove from their posts, and the house was open to all; which was evident from several hundred persons more being present at the disturbance than were at the perfor
mance that night, who then came to a determination to prevent any perfor
mance on the Monday. After this impartial account of his conduct, the
manager appeals to the judgment of the publick what foundation he has given for the outrageous disturbance on Monday night; and cannot help thinking, the real injuries he has sustained, too severe a punishment for an imaginary offence, having lost several hundred pounds already, by people being terrified from frequenting the theatre. A total exclusion is now insisted on, the
Manager to resign his property, the Publick to be deprived of their diversions and the players of their subsistence; And all this after every concession, becoming one gentle
man to ask, or another to make, has been submitted to. [Affidavit of Constable followed. See
Genest, IV, 139-40.] The following three pamphlets came out expressing points of view concerning
Fleetwood and his policy and
management: I.
The Disputes between the Director of d.l. and the Pit Potentates, 20 Nov. As a Letter to a Friend it tells the resolution: not to have old Pantomimes (so execrably bad that they were damn'd when new) imposed on them, unless the
manager would take no more than common prices; reports how Fleetwood stocked the pit with Men of doughty valor...disguised in the habits of Gentlemen, to throw out all who protested; protests the system of casting employed whereby 2nd rate actors appeared in good parts; discusses hardship cases of certain actors (
Mrs Roberts,
Mrs Horton,
Mrs Mills) and asks why
Theophilus Cibber is not on the stage. 2.
An Impartial Examen of the Present Contests, by
Mr Neitherside, 1744: harks back to Fleetwood's finacial policies of the previous year, deploring his relations with the actors and with
manager of
cg; scourges him for miscasting his plays around one prominent actor, rather than giving a balanced perfor
mance; deplores his paying Mrs Cibber,
Mrs Clive so much; revives the 1743 dispute which led to secession; dislikes the casting for 2 Nov. of
Love's Last Shift; suggests better casts for
many plays; scores the
Licensing Act for reducing players to slavery; hopes for resumption of balanced perfor
mances. 3.
Stage Policy Detected, or some Selcet Pieces of Theatrical Secret History Laid Open, in a Letter to a Certain Manager, 1744: takes apart Fleetwood's Defense, statement by statement, giving him the lie at each point. Suggests the real money from the house comes from Pit and Box, which are protesting his pantomimes; shows full attendance at
Rehearsal and
Macbeth with no afterpieces. Especially dislikes the hired bruisers, and the cast of the
Alchemist for 6 Nov