Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-01

all the plays that were given at the various
Philadelphia theatres, although he did not
attempt to add any comments in the way of
criticism. However, the mere list of plays
and the occasional notes of the stars then
at the height of their careers seemed to me
to be interesting in view of the opinion that
one thing or another has caused plays and
actors to deteriorate.
THERE is not one playhouse in the city
l. that would dare to offer the kind of en-
tertainment that was filling houses in 1851
The usual evenings offering a drama
and farce and dancing. The programs, as
in the case of the modern motion picture
houses, were changed daily. But this was
not nearly so difficult to managers as would
appear, for the majority of the pieces pre-
sented were stock plays. Novelties, or orig
inal plays of merit were almost as infre-
duent as the legendary angels visits,
Let us take one weeks plays at the Walnut
Street Theatre in April, 1857. The first night
the plays were THE Serious Family" and
1.-THE Irish Immigrant; the second and third,
THE Serious Family and the farce, Too
dies; the following evening, "rhe Knight
of Ava" and the farce, Handy Andy; them
"The Irish Ambassador" and Handy Andy
and the last night of the week, THE Irish
Immigrant and Handy Andy" Each
nights performance concluded with dancing.
The run ofsIrish plays due to the fact
that the star was John Drew, a favorite
Irish comedian, and the father of our own
John Drew.
DERHAPS, instead of commenting on that
i program, l should give another weeks
offerings in the same year The week Sc
lected was in February On Monday evening
the plays were West End: or, the Irish
Heiress' and the farce, "Miseries of Human
Life; Tuesday, "Walsingham" and the nau-
tical drama, "Black Eyed Susan; Wednes-
day, Seven Ages of Women" and the farce
"The Cork Leg; Thursday, "Fazie," "My
Neighbours Wife" and "Valet Sham; Friday
She Stoops to Conquer" and the drama
"Dombey and Son; Saturday, Mons
Jacques" "Dombey and Son" and my
Neighbours Wife"
That Saturday night performance must
have been like a picture show where there
are fifteen reels Two dramas, one of them
a long one, and n farce, together with dane
ing, and extra song, were surely enough
for any one. 1t was wise provision that
the entertainment in those days began at 1880
In June the elder Booth appeared for two
weeks and played "Richard H." Hamlet
"A New Way to Pay Old Debts "Brutus'
and other tragedies that We're perfectly ia
miliar to theatre-goers of that period. But
imagine, after an evening of Richard H."
to have that long tragedy topped off with
farce Beware of Garroters' or, after
Hamlet" to be treated to the farce Irish
Tutor"
CHANGES of bill were not so frequent at
" the Arch Street Theatre that seasonFThe
"Sea of lee had attracted general attention
in view of Doctor Kanes Arctic expedition
and the drama had run of almost three
weeks in April. \ comedy, Love in 90 was
another popular piece about this time, and
had a run for almost two weeks, while
Shakespeares Henry "" which is unknown
to theatre-goers of the present day, had
run of the same duration. OF course, the
farce was changed nightly, and late in the
season THE Naiad Queen, or the Nymphs
of the Rhine" had a run OF three weeks
Even the names of many of these plays
that were drawing crowds in those days are
unknown today to the average play-soer
From what may be learned of the produce
tions from the playbooks, | feel that none Of
them would be able successfully to keep the
boards for whole week if attempted now.
PHILADELPHIA also had, in 1857, in addi-
i ton to the Academy of Music, then just
opened, the National Circus and Theatre on
Chestnut street. on the site of the Continen-
tai Hotel Here the productions necessarily
were of the spectacular order. Parts of the
performance during the winter were given
afternoon and evening and such spectacles
as cinderella and "Herne the Hunter" were
given on the days when the circus company
did not perform in the ring. Dan Rice the
clown with his comic mules was the chief
attraction of the circus, but he did not ap-
pear at every performance.
There are very few names in the stock
companies OF that year that would be re-
called nowadays, but list of the actors re-
garded as at the head Of their profession i'm
this company in 1857 and found in this old
manuscript journal may be Of interest Men
ton is made of e. n. Thayer, Henry Placide,
James H. Hackett. father of the present
actor of that name; Forrest John Gilbert.
Murdock, Wheatley, e. L. Davenport, J. b
Roberts, ]. w. Lester. later known as Lester
Wallack; Frank Chanfrau, IL. A Perry, Jo-
seph jefferson, and Edwin Booth, who was
the youngest of the group, being then but
"a years of age.
Roberts, a good old-time tragedian later
became celebrated for his performance as
Hertzog in "The Black Crook Gilbert lived
10 be more than so years OF age; Perry's repu-
tation has not survived so long as the 9TH
ers in the list, and Thayer is best remem-
bered as a theatrical manager. Jefferson,
Of course, was our old friend, rip Van
Wrinkle" but he had not yet made that
character his own in 1857 for he was then
but 2s years old.
GRANVILLE.
THE IDFATJST