The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-22
At SADLER'S WELLS.
A Famous Old Theatre Which is
Still in Existence.
A CRADLE OF THE MIMIC ART.
1t Used to Be Miles out of London, but 1t is
Now in Town-StOries About
Grimaldi.

Let the curtain rise on the oldest theatre
existence, Sadler's Wells theatre. Not onl
the oldest, but the most remarkable. the see,
of some of the grandest triumpbs of Fl
scenic art, the cradle of some of the create.
actors the world has seen.
IL is in London.
In London now, but when it was first bui
1t was miles out of town. 1t stands in par
OF the city which a century and half ag
was IN the country near the Fleet river.
Its position was for years almost romantic
and 1t IS even now possessed of elements O
the picturesque. The New river ran through
Its courtyard, skirted by immensely tall pop
lars, while close against the theatre stood {
gigantic elm of venerable age which spread
Its branches over the river. Under thost
poplarS the actors used to pace to learn their
parts Even up to 1920 the house was SC
much IN the country that Myddelton square
Iwhere stands the church which is seen in the
illustrations was an immense field where
people used to be stopped and robbed on their
road home from the play. Today the parish
In which Sadler's Wells is situated has a non
ulation greater than New York and the tray
eler must 90 four miles further to find q field
The Illustration represents the stage end of
the theatre seen from a portion of the court
yard.
lie out5uuding with skylights at the rear
was one Of the paint rooms, the other being
IN the roof between the lantern and the box
Office building. The outbuilding beyond the
stage door was a scene dock
ORIGIN OF THE THEATRE
50 much for the theatre Now for its his
tory
Near the site of the theatre some five or six
mineral springs bubbled up Having p1ed;-
clnal virtues their owners established snas
with music rooms, to which fashionable
lounSers and invalids resorted as in the mod
ern Baden Baden.
1t Is believed there were exhibitions of a
theatrical nature at the music rooms Mt Sad
iers Wells as far back as the Elizabetban
era-there certainly was such sport as hear
batting
In Sadler's time the music room was n large
wooden building. Up to Nay, 1898, it was
called Sadlers Musical house and concerts
We're regularly advertised there, the orcbes-
IRA consisting of ''violins, hautboys, trum-
pets, drums" In 1899 it was called Miles |
Music house, and In that year great crowds
used TO 90 to see a man eat a live FOWL
Sadler died about 100, and one Francis |
Forcer, barrister, left the law to MANAGE if
which ne did, with variety entertainments
Slntu I'5O 1t was then managed by a Mr.
aoSoman, Who IN 1855 replaced it with a bricl,
building at a cost of $21, 600 Old prints of
Ihe date OF 1855 establish the identity of the
present building with the same arcade-tbe
principal addition has been raising the roof
1t was surrounded by beautiful willows. eIms
and poplars. 0-'--'
III I'b1-O scenery was introduced there for
the harlequinades and variety entertain
nents, the admission to which included a
4 pint of wine.
Inc theatre has since become world famous.
N the first place it is almost the very cradle
u spectacular scenic art, dividing honors
18th Covent Garden under John Rich's man
cement, and Drury Lane when Clarkson
StanfeG was the artist,
It was an acknowledged home Of panto-
mime even when the marvellous clown Joe |
irimaldi first appeared there as a monkey at
he age of 3, no less than 10Y years ago, and
is excellence in that regard remained unim-
,aired for a century.
Ia lTI2 Rosoman gave up the management
o King, the famous comedian of Covent I
5arden, who held it till 47S2, when he sold it
or e12,e9j Charles 0ibdin, the elder, be-
IAN Is Write plays and songs for the house ,
.boUt 1g75.
"a 1870 Mark Lonsdale was conductor and
lad hand in the management.
THE TWO GRIMALDIS.
The elder Grimaldi was employed as clown
It this theatre, where his famous son made !
lis debut at the age of 8 in April, 1852, pre-
umahly at the Easter revival Of the prior | s
Christmas pantomine Poor little Joe one
hight was being swung round by his father |
attached to a chain when the chain slipped {
md the mite of a monkey went flying into
he pit Ie had the charm of cats immu-
lity, for he was none the worse!
What changes of fashion the old theatre
las scent At the period we speak of, when t
title Grimaldi was 5 years old, his parents
lsed to dress him on Sundays in the fashion +
lble costume of the time, and this was his I
IL: A green embroidered coat white satin
yaistcoat, embroidered green knee breaches,
white silk stockings, shoes with paste buckles,
shirt with lace front cravat, a three
.ornered hat, rufles and a cane There's a
model for modern dude to set the fashion
With
MISS ROMANzISI AND EDMUND KEAN.
In 1876 Miss Romanzini (AIrs. Bland made
ler debut there and two seasons later Bra
lam, the greatest of all tenors, appeared.
About that time Henry Siddons, husband Of
he great actress, became one of the proprie- !
ors. In 1901 Master Carey, "The Pupil of s
Nature" destined to become afterwards ia
nous rs Edmund Kean, appeared This second
appearance on any stage, and recited Rollo's |
peech from "Pizarro" His great-grandfa-
her, Henry Carey the author of ''Sally in Our &