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 gentleman 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 o
thers 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 Gentleman 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 o
ther 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 performance that night, who
then came to a determination to prevent any performance 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 gentleman to ask, or ano
ther 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, ra
ther than giving a balanced performance; 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 performances. 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