The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-04 00:00:00

REPORT.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF PROPRIETORS OF DRURY-LANE.
" The theatre having closed, after a protracted season, the
Committee have the pleasure to meet the general assembly with
their annual statement of the affairs of the Company ; and they
have great satisfiction in stating, that notwithstanding the
depressed state of the drama, as regards the national
theatres, Hod the threatened annihilation of the total inte-
rests of the proprietary of these once noble establishments
by legislative enactments, Drury-lane Theatre has been open
to the public, during the past season, no less than 223 nights, a
circumstance alike beneficial to the artistes concerned, as also to
the numerous dependents upon it for their daily support.
It is gratifying to the Committee to be able to state,
that amidst the wreck of the national drama, her Most Gra-
cious Majesty continues her patronage and support to the theatre
by her visits, hoth in state and in private, the influence of which,
upon a concern dependent upon public favour for support, can-
tle* but be of the highest importance towards its success, and
must excite the liveliest feelings of gratitude. Her Majesty
the Queen Dowager has been generously pleased to resume the
occupation of her private box ; and it is matter for consolation,
that since the Legislature of the country has thought proper to
extend, by their late Act of Parliament, the powers of the Lord
Chamberlain, and remove the drama from the two national
theatres to Sadler's Wells, the Yorkshire Stingo, the Eagle
Tavern, and a host of minor establishments, to the number of
Ailey, Mr. Bunn hay been enabled to furnish an entertainment
worthy of the royal patronage and the public at large ; still the
Committee are not insensible to the difficulties which the lessee
had to encounter and surmount in the progress of the past
stetson, from various causes ; notwithstanding which they
have the satisfaction to state that Mr. Bunn has, under
every circumstance, never failed in his punctuality in the
payment of the rent, and the 'Committee are advised that all
other claims upon him in working this establishment have been
met by the same degree of regularity in discharge thereof. Again
referring to the late Act of Parliament, 7 and 8 Vic. chap. 68,
whereby the chartered privileges of the ,two national theatres,
upon the credit of which 300,0001. have been expended, are so
impaired as to reduce them nearly to the state from which the
places already enumerated have been raised, it must cease to
be matter of surprise that the Committee have to add
another year to the many bygone, without the prospect of
any return to their constituents for the capital advanced by
them in erecting the present theatre ; for, in addition to the
cows for the edifice, the amount actually paid for the security
of Wile patent riehts equalled that of the building, and was com-
prised in the following items :—To Messrs. Sheridan and others
40,0001., to composition upon claims of the late theatre 50,0001.
to the Covent-garden proprietors 21,0001., and the rent charge
of an annuity of 3,750 L entailed upon the present theatre as
renters of the late. An act of the greatest injustice has thereby
been inflicted upon the national theatres, and most certainly
demands compensation at the hands of those who legislate for
the drama, and who are bold enough to contend that they are
upholding it bygalizing the representation of Shakspeare at pot-
houses and piNie gardens. The fate of the Drury-lane patent
bas destroyed the security of the claims of the renters, and the
trustees of that body have received payment of 51. per night for
223 nights of performances in the past season, instead of the
original amount of 181. 15s. per night.
" The repairs to the stage flooring have been effected,
whereby it is now rendered perfect; but the state of the roof,
which entails considerable annual expense, is such (according to
the report of Mr. Beazley, the architect of the theatre) as
to require I very serious outlay, previous to the forthcoming
wieter, from the funds at present in the banker's hands.
" The Committee have to call the attention of the assembly
to the annual statement of the accounts which have been re-
gularly audited by Major Naylor, now laid before them, by
which it will be seen that the income of the proprietary for the
past season, under the several heads, amounts to 5,1551. 6s. ;
whilst, on the other hand, the expenses amount to 4,7771.65. Id.
The Committee have paid to the account of the renters'
trustees, at their banker's. the sum of 1,115/. for 223 nights
of performance, at Si. per night, as before stated.
" In concluding their report, the committee have only to'
observe, that the season now ended was the first of a term of
three years leased to Mr. Bunn, with the option of either party
to terminate it at the end of the first year by giving certain
notice. The committee trust they have acted Judiciously in
retaining their lessee, and hope be is too well satisfied with the
terms of the agreement to seek to disturb it."
Sir W. CURTIS moved that the report be approved
and adopted.
Mr. WARING seconded the proposition.
Mr. WELLS said that prior to the reception of the
report he was anxious to offer a remark. Ile observed
that' there had been a sum of £1,115 paid over to the
renters, a body whom he was prepared to contend had
no legal claim for such a payment. He. for one, in
qemmon however with a great many other persons, was
of opinion that the renters ought to take the subject into
their consideration, in order that they and the proprie-
tors might come to such an arrangement as that both
parties should act and share togetber.—(liear, hear.)
r. GRENFELL fully concurred in what had fallen
from the lion. proprietor. Ile had at their meeting last
year taken the liberty to suggest that some such course
should be adopted, when he had been somewhat warmly
met by Mr. Robins, who by the way he regretted not
to s, e in the room that day. The new renters in fact
ought to proceed and go hand in hand with the proprie-
tors, so as to enable them to meet the difficulties under
which the theatre existed.-0-lear, hear.)
Mr. WARING considered that this question had been
most unfairly introduced on the present occasion, when
the meeting was purely one of the proprietors and not of
the renters.
After some further discussion—
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the question that " the
report be received, approved, and adopted," said, that
without doubt much of the discussion which had taken
place had been irregular, but he had felt that upon this
particular subject probably some benefit might arise, if
the renters were in possession of the feelings of the pro-
prietors.—(Hear, hear.) No doubt the subject, with a
slue observance of regularity, should not have been in-
troduced at that meeting, inasmuch as it was a meet-
ing of the proprietors and not of the renters. This ques-
tion, it should be borne in mind, had never been -treated
by the proprietors as ,one between themselves and the
public, but as between themselves and the renters. It
was clear that the better course for Mr. Whitbread to
have taken when the arrangement was originally made
would have been to have turned all their claims into
shares in the new house, and then there could have been
but one set of interest to be dealt with, whereas, as the
business at present stood, there were two bodies whose
interests were of a conflicting character. The best plan
would be, that an arrangement should be come to by
which there should be one common and mutual interest.
If that were done then the renters would be in a position
to take part in the control and management of the affairs
of the theatre.—(Hear, hear.)
The motion was then put and carried unanimously.
The meeting next proceeded to the withdrawal, by
ballot, of six of the present members of the General Com-
mittee, who, by the provisions of the Act of Parliament,
retired from that body. The names so drawn were in
the following order :--Sir E. Codrington, Lord Ongley,
Parnther, Esq., Joseph Arden, Esq., the Duke -of
Leinster, and the Earl of Westmoreland, all of whom,
on the motion of Mr. Waring, seconded by Mr. Crawcour,
were re-elected.
The sub-committee were then appointed in the
sons of the Earl of Glengall, Sir W. Curtis, Bar., B.
'Bond Cabbell, Esq., J. Ramsbottarn, Esq., and L.
Ballen, Esq.
Major Naylor was then re-elected audi;or.
Captain SPENCER, as the meeting '',as about to break
up, said that he had been asked lei a great many persons
how it was that the committee, had allowed the regular
and legitimate drama to leteee the boards of Drury-lane
Theatre, and then ether:. Or whether it was the intention
of the committee or the' management to resume those
performances. NoW, as he had been an adviser of the
present cotrese of entertainments on their stage,
Le would etate the reasons why the house had been exclu-
sively devoted to musical performenees, and to assert it
to be his opinion, that, if the old plan had been persisted
in. the thehtre could not have been carried on. and then
there would have been no money ready with which to
meet the claim for ground rent, which would in due time
become due to the Duke of Bedford. Ilia grace in that
case could not 1.-,ave been paid ; but, under the new ar-
rangements; although they had collected a numerous and
a splendi'.l musical company, it was far less expensive
than (en former years, when a manager or lessee was
compelled to have three companies. Now, there was
but one, and yet a distinct company, all of whom were
constantly in requisition.—(Hear, hear.)—With respect
to the performance of what was clenomivated the legiti-
mate drama, he was prepared to show that the most dis-
astrous consequences had arisen from the management
of Mr. Maeready.
Sir W. CURTIS thought that this was a subject which
did not fairly come under the notice of the meeting on
the present occasion. It would, therefore, be folly to
enter upon it. There were, moreover, a variety of opi-
nion: on the question, and he might say that he himself
took a different view of it to that which had • been ex-
pressed by the gallant captain.
Captair. SPENCER thereupon said that he would not
then t 'lva- upon the detail of the reasons. This, how-
ever, he was anxious to prove—that there had been more
money received from Mr. Bunn and music in two years
than had been 'paid by Mr. .Macready during the same
duration of time. For instance, he found that the Com-
mittee had received in two years from
Berm and Music
Macready and Legitimate Drama