The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-10
FAMOUS THEATRICAL RIOTS.
aHOW THE AUDIENCE RULED THF
STAGE HR TME OLHEN TgWE-RX~
PERHENCEs OF REMGLE.

STAGE IN THE OLDES TawE-EX"
PERHENCEs OF REMgLE.
| PHILADELPHIA Times1
| Whatever it's artistic progress, it Is certain
that the stage holds o much less important
position In the social and public life OF the
period than it did hundred or fifty years
ago. Some interesting illustrations OF this
fact are given in an article on famous thea
trloal riots, by Mr.. Fl. Barton Baker, in the
current number Of Betgravia. In the time Of
Charles II, as Mr.. Baker remarks, his Majesty
personally supervised the affairs Of the stage
and umpired It's disputes. In the next CEN
tury the audiences took this position upon
themselves, and exercised q capricious
tyranny over managers and actors
that frequently led to serious disturb
ances. Sometimes the fine gentle
men would make the theatre the
scene Of their private brawls, and In the midst
Of performance spring upon the Stage and
fall-to at cut and thrust with sometimes fatal
effect. One night In the year 1879 some tipsy
galants, enemies of the Duchess of Ports
mouth, endeavored to set fire to the LinGolns
Inn Fields Theatre, because that notorious
woman was seated In the boxes. A more Sc
J rious disturbance, however, occurred at that
house in 1921. In one Of the principal scenes
of Macbeth nobleman deliberately crossed
the stage in front Of the performers to speak
with D friend who was on the opposite side.
, Rich the manager was SO Indignant that he
forbade him henCefOrth the entree to the stage.
The answer Of my lord was o blow in the
. :. face. Rich drew his sword and his actors sup
ported him; my lords friends did likewise,
: and q fierce scuff1e ensued, which ended In
|
But, reinforced in numbers, they soon return
ed forced their way in, smashed the mirrors
, and mouldngs and hurled torches among
the scenery. The military were summoned,
and after some trouble the rioters were cap
, tured.
Patriotic prejudioes had q hand In such
:, affairs also. It was In 1754, just after war
had broken out between France and Eugland,
!, that Garrick brought out Il splendid ballet,
and TO make 1t grand success had secured,
, at heavy expense q corps OF dancers from
:, Paris. At this the Indignation OF his town
! people boiled over. The accomplishment Of
:. dancing was small matter com pared with
r questions OF national dispute. There was O.
riot in the pit on the first night; the boxes
), took part with the dancers; gentlemen, in.
= cited by the ladies, drew their swords and
4 leaped down among the rioters; O. scene OF
! direst confusion ensued, but the pitttes
Z gained the victory. drove their opponents out
ot the theatre destroyed everything break
0 able, then marched in q body to Garrick's
mousse i'll OOuLndtnptOH SbTbeG, SLTbnn, anu
!, smashed all his windows When he next ap-
{ peared on the stage there were loud cries for
r all apology, which he courageously refused to
make and informed the audience in firm but
=, respectful terms that il they were dissatis-
g fed with his conduct he would quit the
stage forever. This threat speedily quelled
the disturbance Garrck, indeed had seen
something OF the sort before. AT one time
% from the stage. The circumstances were
/ these: FleetU oOd, the manager OF Drury
|, Lane, had fallen so deeply in arrears with his
q company that there was general revolt; all
., the ACTORS pledged themselves to stand or fall
+ together. After time Fleetwood came to an
g arrangement, but made Mackin the scape-
g goat aud refused to re-engage him. Garrick
}, offered to procure an engagement both for
q himself and bis wife and make up any def
y ciency OF salary out of his own pocket. But
g Mackiin considered himself betrayed, and
q would listen only to the dictates Of re-
IL veuge He went about everywhere proclaim
J. ing his wrongs, and soon organized 81 Clique
n which on the first night OF Garrick's reap
u pearance saluted him with groans, hisses and
q showers OF rotten eggs, apples and other
n missiles until the curtain had to be dropped
,S and the audience dismissed. The next night
{ Fleetwood brought into the pit u small army
II of roughs and prize-fghters. The moment
= the disturbances commenced Broughton, a
q noted member OF the fancy, jumped up on his
20 seat. "Gentlemen," he shouted, II am told
some people have come here to interrupt the
play. now, I've paid my money to hear it,
and [ advise them to go away quietly and
q not hinder my diversion" This address was
- received with howl Of defiance that declared
" that the rioters were not to be intimidated
q upon which the pugilists struck out right and
y left In an instant there was scene Of the
= = widest confusion; seats were overturned
W rtcton heads and noses were broken, women
= were shrieking. But the battle rested with
= the roughs, who cleared the pit OF their op
"A ponents and then sat down to enjoy the play
- MRS. s1DDoNs' TROUBLES.
e These were instances Of the censorships,
a not to say tyranny, of audiences. Mrs. Sid
}, dOns experienced it. Coming from Dublin tt
Lr London the story preceded her that she hat
s. refused to play in the Irish capital for the
II benefit of an old and paralyzed actor, West
le Digges. There were other charges of mean
y ness and avarice, and when she came upOf
L the stage in London the audience hooted
70 groaned and Kissed till John Kemble bore hel
1T away fainting. Presently, upon Sheridan's
= advice, she ventured back and made them {
speech, well considered and artfuly adapted
Of declaring the stories against her calumneE
a and demanding that until they were proye1
1e she should not be insulted. The crowd frs
ii heard her in silence and then yielded with ap
n. plause to her appeal. Kean, however, was
ee broken down and driven from the stage b5
il what might be called the moral vengeance o
ii There was a story Of his intimacy with ths
10 wife of Alderman Cox, and, though it was
IF believed that If he had not played the part 0
Of Joseph entirely. she closely resembled Mrs
Il. Potiphar, the theatre-goin public took par
le against the actor and howled him out Nigh
h after night the theatre was crammed to tn
ceiling, but the performance was carried on
only in dumb show. Yet, dauntless as ever
l. he gave his enemies scorn for scorn, insult fo
u insult. Such q contest. however, could ent
La only in his discontinue; friends and patrons
rs fell from him, wife and child left him 1t wa!
er the deathbIow to his fame and to his life. FL
t, came to America and had a series of storm,
3, experiences, a riot in Boston being caused b;
Is his refusal to play to a small audience.
s. The Astor Place riots in New York over tn
.g ridiculos rivalry between Maeready and For
II rest have been often described, and Mr.. Bake
i gives nothing new. He thinks them "th
n rnnrt serin11s q nd disorac cef1l in stare annals