Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-05-05
A FAMOUS PLAYHOUSE
Old 0rury Lane Has 0utlivcd
Many vicissitudes.
A PHENIx AMONG THEATERS.

london's Home OF pantomsme Has
Been the Scene OF Many confiasra-
tions-Attaeks Upon Royalty Within
Its Waiis-The rejected Addresses
On the night OF Feb. -. 1909. as the
house OF commons was engaged upon
rather important debate. sundry OF
the members observed through the
windows faint red glow which even
tually became so alarming In Its in
tensity as 20 interfere with the order
ly course OF the discussion. Ii was
not long before the news ran round
the benches that Drury Lane theater
was alight. and so great was the gen.
eral concern at what was considered
almost national disaster that n mo
ton was made TO adjourn the sitting.
Sheridan. however, as Moore tells us
in his life OF the great orator, imme-
diately expressed the hope-with an
air OF detachment that did him the
greatest credit. considering his posi-
ton as principal shareholder in the
theater-that whatever might be the
extent OF the present calamity it would
not interfere with the public business
Of the country" That his courage was
not daunted by so serious n personal
disaster was proved by the fact that
he reopened week later ut the Ly-
ceum.
The destruction OF The Lane"-the
third building since its foundation In
l663-was one OF seven familiar dis
asters TO London theaters In twenty
years: but. whatever else happened,
Drury Lane must be rebuilt Nor was
the decision on the part OF the pro-
prietors unbusinessllSe i'm the least
degree. for Horace Walpole, under the
date OF 1751. tells us how on the day
appointed for the naturalization bill
''the house OF commons adjourned TO
attend ut Drury Lane, where 'Othello'
was acted by a Mr.. Debanal and his
family.
Drury Lane has passed through many
vicissitudes In the course of its exist
ence. The first building was very un-
favorably described by Pepys. who
writes OF the discomfort caused by
rain that found Its way through the
roof and drenched the occupants OF
the pit and also the bad acoustic quail
tiles Of the place. Fire put an end to
these inconveniences In 1872. The sec
ond theater. which was designed by
| Wren and opened In 1874. had n much
| longer life. but was on two occasions
the scene OF attempts upon the royal
family. In ZIG Freeman tried TO shoot
the Prince OF Wales. who afterward
became King George IL, and i'm 1S0C
George III. was the victim OF n similar
unsuccessful attack at the hands Of a
lunatic. Ii was this same building
which. rs Walpole relates I'm one OF his
letters, was the scene OF n lively dis
turbance In 1T44. when an attempt
was made TO introduce pantomime for
the first time. SO great has been the
change Of popular sentiment on this
point since that far or date that today
winter In London without pantomime
at Drury Lane is almost incredible.
The third building. which was open
ed in 1194. came TO an untimely end.
rs we have seen, I'm 1909, and the inau-
guration OF its successor three years
later was marked by an event OF con-
siderable literary Importance. The
managers OF the theater. being desir-
II
sendoff. invited the public to submit 70
competition suitable prologues, the
prize poem 10 have the honor OF being
publicly recited from the stage upon
the day OF opening. A host OF writer's,
including many OF the best known
names In contemporary literature, re-
sponded 10 the invitation, and this
fact fortunately suggested TO two
brothers. James and Horace Smith
who were beginning to acquire a repu-
tation In the world OF letters, the no.
ton Of publishing anonymously n COZ.
lection Of prologues parodying the
styles OF various living writer's OF re-
| pute- As II was necessary that the
little volume should be issued In time
for the opening Of the theater, the au.
thors were compelled to complete their
task In six weeks, but 1t is doubtful
whether the quality OF the work suf-
fered much on this account Indeed. in
the preface TO the eighteenth edition,
published in 1893, II IS suggested that
the PAROLES gained rather than lost In
effectiveness by being struck OF, as II
were, at white heat.
The success OF ''The Rejected Ad.
dresses" was immediate and lasting
The two brothers found that they had
leaped into fame at n bound, and the
famous authors whom they had so sue.
cessfully held up TO kindly ridicule
expressed their establishment at the
accuracy with which their peculiarly
ties OF style and expression had been
reproduced. 1t was a notable achieve.
ment. Byron, whose prologue won
the prize and was delivered in due
course on the Drury Lane stage, writ.
Ing to Murray, expressed his apprecia.
| ton OF the little volume that had made
such stir In the world and In a sec.
ond letter told him that ne liked II
better and better" Jeffrey In 1S4s
wrote that lie took THE Rejected Ad.
dresses" TO be the very best imita.
| tons (and often OF difficult originals
that ever were made. But perhaps the
comment which pleased the authors
the most was that OF a Lincolnshire
clergyman quoted in the preface of
1888 to the effect that he did not see
why they should have been rejected
Indeed. he thought some OF them very
good. The reverend gentleman dis
Mayed "a plentiful lack" Of humor in
this announcement, but there will be
few even today TO quarrel with his
Judgment.--Lopdon Globe