New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-02-18
Samuel Foote's Offer OF q Dish Of
Chocolate.

Macklin was teacher of his art, and,
with slight sprinkling Of regulars, his
company was made up of amateurs and
pupils. Among the latter was young
fellow about town, we'll known at the
Bedford Coffee House for his wit, named
Samuel Foote, who here made his first
appearance upon any stage as Othello
to his tutors Iago. The future famous
comedian was short and stout, with q
round. full, fiat face, and his appear
ance in tragedy must have been as fun
ny as a modern matinee debut. New
ertheless, he obtained an engagement
at Drnry Lane for comedy parts. Here
he made such a success rs mimic in
the character of Bayes, in 1.-The Re-
hearsal.' that. finding himself over
shadowed by the genius of Garrick, he
determined to turn manager on his own
account. Falling to procure q license.
he took leaf out of Mr.. Cibber's book,
and on April %, 1747, announced that
a concert of music would on that day
be performed at the theatre in the Hay
market, after which would be given
gratis new entertainment called
1.-The Diversions of the Morning" and
farce taken from The Old Bachelor"
called the ''Credulous Husband'-
Fondlewife, Mr.. Foote-and an epilogue
by the Bid (Bedford) Coffee House.
The diversion and the epilogue consist
ed in mimicry of the best-Enown men
of the day-actors, doctors, lawyers,
statesmen. Had he contented himself
with this he might not have been inter-
fQrnH with h,,t hn IS A.
patent houses could not tolerate such
an infringement of their rights as
performance of one of the most popular
comedies of the time. They appealed
to the Westminster magistrates, and on
the second night the constables entered
the theatre and dispersed the audience.
But foote was not SO easily to be put
down. The very next morning he pub
lished the following announcement in
the General AdUertiSer: ION SATURDAY.
afternoon. exactly at II o clock, at tho
new theatre in the Haymarket, Mr..
Foote begs the favor of his friends to
come and drink a'dish of chocolate
with him, and It's hoped there will be
great deal Of company and some joy
Gus spirits. He will endeavor to make
the morning as diverting as possible.
Tickets to be had for this entertain
ment at Georges Coffee House, Temple
Bar, without which no one will be ad-
mitted. N. B.-Sir Dilbury Diddle will
be there, and Lady Betty Frisk has alb
solutely promised. No one knew
what this advertisement meant, and a
crowded house was the inevitable con-
sequence. When the curtain rose,
Foote came forward and informed the
audience that las he was training some
young performers for the stage, he
would, with their permission, while the
chocolate was getting ready, proceed
with his instructions before them. "
Then some young people, engaged for
the purpose, were brought upon the
stage, and under the pretense of in
structing them in the art of acting he
introduced his limitations. The author
tiles did not again interfere with him,
so he altered the time of his entertain
ment from morning to evening, and the
title to Tea; and to drink dish of
tea with Mr.. Footc, as going to his
theatre came to be styled, was the rage
OF the season. Next year he called his
performances IAN Auction of Pictures. -
Here is one of his advertisements: Eat
the foriy-ninth days sale ut his auction
room in the Haymarket, Mr.. Foote will
exhibit a choice collection of pictures
some entirely new lots, consisting OF a
poet, beau, Frenchman. miser, a
Taylor, sot, two young gentlemen,
anu ghost,two OF which are originals,
the rest copies from the best masters. !"
In this he mimicked the peculiarities of
Justice Deveil, Cock, the auctioneer,
and Orator acknowledgement.