The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-07
THE FIRST PLAY.
"First Production" Of n Shakespearian n
Work 40 Years Ago.


''First Production" Of shakespearisn
Work 14O Years Ago.
How our people enjoyed the theatre a
hundred and more years ago is bright iy
described In one of the esrly chapters Of
thst Interesting new book of stage history
and snecdote, "Shakespeare's Heroes on
the Stage" In writing of the tirst pro-
duction In America by a regular theatri-
cal company ('The Merchant of venics'')
the author says: "The picture is an oda
one to eyes accustomed only to tho
| Plamor Of the modern suberbly equipped
| theater. The scene Is laid in the capital
of Virignia; but tho date il Sept. D, 1852.
ann the Williams burg of that day is a far
different place from what it was to be-
come Q century and four decades later
A scattered village, of perhaps some 200
buildings, il has a thousand souls to
make up the populations; but out of these
numbers scarcely n dozen mansion houses
are to be counted, and only few hun
dred white people.
son this bri k fall evening excitement
has risen to fever heat through the gossip
that has spread far ana near regarding
the English play actors Just over on the
Charming Sslly; and willie the people
slowly file out OF the country store before
the early hour Of closing-fo for the proprie-
tor, bookkeeper, clerk and boy, (all repre-
sented in one person) could not have
been temptei oy any number of pennies
to keep open his establishment and lose
the pleasure of hhst nights theat rical
performance-old-fssh family bar
ouches. farm carts, mule wagons and
gigs, dash or rumble up the road from
every outlying district, bringing gaily
decorated women and store clothed men,
all whipping their nsgs to the theatsr.
"A theater only by courtesy. II stands
on the outskirts OF the town, 30 near the
woods that the actors can amuse them
selves by shooting pigeons from the win
DOVE, and 1t consists merely of a rough
warehouse, altered rudely to soft the needs
of comedians. But this night jovial
audience gathers in it's pit, watches with
amusement the antics of the negroes in
the gallery, and gazes with sorneth hing of
awe at the country gentry in the stalls,
who. following the custom of their rela-
tions in old England, dare venture upon
the stage between the acts and chatter |
with the ladie' and gentlemen of the
troup. Truly, iG 10 q gala day for Williams |
burg!
"Nor are the actors less impressed with
the occasion. Tru., they had hardly ex-
pected to come from the busy streets Of |
London, where the gay throngs of fash |
iouabls people were even then wisely |
discussing this merits OF David Garrick, |
and praising the vivacity of Peg Woifi ing
ton, into a wilderness where the tneater |
10 practically unknown; but md sup |
posed that town which could boast a
capitol and q palace for the Governor,
would show some reflection of the culti- |
vated city they had left behind. Yet, in
spite of this disappointment, they recog-
nizs the fact that there are sturdy plan
ters OF intelligence, before them, and an
enthus iastic crowd of youths who. with
eyes and ears wide open, will swallow the
sights and sounds OF the night as, phe-
nomena never to he forgotten.
$50 after Mr.. Pelham, the solitary mu-
sician OF the tbeater, has supplied the
want OF an orchestra by drumming out q
overture upon his harpsichord,
and Mr.. Rigby, later the Bassapio of the
cast, has read the pro ologue, written
especially for the occasion by Mr.. Sinlge-
ton, the Gratiano of q half-bour later, MIR.
Mr.. Wynell and Mr.. Herbert,
clothe respectively in the characters of
Antonio, S,larino and Salsnio walk
upon the stage and the plsy begins.
"the company 10 small, and there must
be some doubling OF paris. Hence, Mr..
Hnllsm himself plays both Launcel Il and
Tubal. His wife is Portia. His daug hter
Ia Jessics. Master Lewis Hsliam, who
later on IL to become the lea ding actor of
his time, but who was then, like bis sister,
making a first appearance OIL the stage,
Ia cast for the servant Of Portia; and
though he has but one line to speak, he
oses bis tongue completely when the
lime comes, stands sbiveripg with stage
right before the audience for q few
moments, and then rushes in tears from
he stage. Much better would he feel
4 he could see, as we see, that IA years
after this insuspicious debut he wouli
be acting with success the chief character,
he Jew Of Venice, at the first Philadel-
ohis performance OF the play In the
;outhwicx Theater.
"Mr Malone was the first Shyiock OF the
nericap stape',