The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-29 00:00:00

EXCHEQUER COURT.-MONDAY.

VANDENHOFF V. BUNN.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff, the irfigedian,
to reeoyer from the defendant, the late lessee of the Thea-
tres Roy Drury-lane and Covent-garden, the sum of
162/., being the amount of nine weeks' salary, at the rite of
18/. per week.
Mr. PLATT st,„ted the case. The plaintiff, Mr. Vande.'i-
hoff, had been compelled to bring the present action to re-
cover from the defendant the amount of his wages for nine
weeks after the defendant".had wantonly closed the theatre,
and he thought to keep the p2aintiff idle and unemployed.
In July, 1834, previous to the then coming season, which
was to have commenced in October, 3834, and ended in July,
1835,a Mr. Dunn,the agent and manager for the defendant,
being engaged in negotiations with different actors, in order to
form a company, applied, among others, to the plaintiff, who.
required a salary of 20/. a week. This Dunn considered too
much. On the 24th of July,he wrote plaintiff a letter, stating
that he had mentioned the matter to parties interested in the
management, and that the pecuniary arrangements of the
theatre would not allow them to advance upon the offer
beyond the sum of 161. per week for the first season, and
181. a week for the second. To this Mr. Vandenboff wrote,
in reply, that, standing as he did in the profession, neither
an untried man nor stale with the public, but being, on the
contrary, in possession of popular opinion, with all the ad-
vantages of novelty, he deemed his services to be well
worth the remuneration he asked. However, in order to
meet them half-way, he would accept of and conAude an
engagement for the two years at the rate of 181. a week.
In answer to this offer Mr. Vandenhoff received from Mr.
Dunn a letter, in which is contained the actual and only
agreement and engagement entered into between the par-
ties, and upon which, being first duly stamped, the pre-
sent action has been brought. And having been duly
announced, in pursuance of this engagement, Mr.
Vandenhoff appeared accordingly on the stage at
Covent-garden Theatre the first night of the opening,
and played the part of " The Stranger ;" afterwards
at Drury-lane, continuing to play at both theatres, which
were then under the same management, and to receive his
salary up to the 18th day of May, 1835, when Mr. Bunts
had a notion that, although he had entered into a contract
with plaintiff for the season, he might close the theatre and
terminate the season. A farewell address was spoken on
the 18th day of May, 1835, and the season declared to be
closed. The defendant wishing, however, to make two
seasons out of one, and to have what he called a summer
season, opened the theatre again in a night or two, and
the performances continued up to the 18th of July, when
it was formally closed. Plait:tiff remained in town, and
tendered his services, which were not accepted. The next
season began, and plaintiff gave notice that he should ex-
pect nine week's salary after the last season, and con-
tinued to receive his weekly payments during that season,
but always under protest. Under thew circumstances he
trusted, that the Jury would award plaintiff his salary for
the remainder of the season, the common understanding
and ordinary acceptation of the term being a period of
200 nights, which would bring it down to the month of

July. - •
The Jury, after a short consultation, found for tie plain-
tiff—Damages 162/., subject to point raised under the 4th
section of the Statute of Frauds, as to the contract being
for more than one year.