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Cross-Channel Dramatics intheLittleHaymarket TheatreRiotof1738 THOMASLOCKWOOD InbriefcompasshereIwilltrytotellthestoryofaLondontheatreriot whichtookplaceatthebeginningofthe1738season.Thiswasaweird, vividevent,belongingasmuchtothepoliticsandcultureoftheperiodasto itstheatre;andthoughtheriotousmomentitselfwasexplosive,itwasmostly non-violent.Peopletalkedandwroteaboutitavidlyforacoupleofmonths, thenforgotit—oratleaststoppedwritingaboutit.Noonehasgonebackto thesubjectinanyconcentratedwaysince,1andthoughIwouldn'tpresumeto challengethewisdomofhistoryinwhatitchoosestoforgetorremember,in thiscasetheadmittedlyminorepisodeisneverthelesssointriguingthatI wonderifashortreturnvisitmightnotbeworthmaking.Minorepisodescan sometimesopenawindowonmajorfeaturesoftheworldtheybelongto—a sidewindow,asitmaybe,givinganunofficialthoughnolesstellingview.I hopetoshowhowthisriotepisodehassuchkindofvalueforourunderstand- ingofthepoliticalhistoryofthetheatreintheperiodoftheLicensingAct, andoftheAnglo-Frenchculturalrelationswhichgotdrawnsoroughlyinto thathistory. ThenewtheatreinHaymarketstreet,the"little"theatreso-called,todis- tinguishitfromtheKing'sOperaHouseacrosstheway,hadbeenbuiltin 1720byJohnPotter,acarpenter,wholeaseditoffandontovariousgroups ofentertainersandactorswithlittleornocommercialorartisticcontinuity.2 63 64/LOCKWOOD Itwasahouseforhire,onlyabouthalfthesizeofthepatenttheatresinDrury LaneandCoventGarden,anditstalentlikewisewasusuallyabouthalf-rate. FromthefirstthelittleHaymarketservedasanoccasionalvenueforvisiting Frenchcompanies,withpredictableflare-upsoftheatricalchauvinismon thatpoint.3AaronHilltriedtoorganizeanEnglishcompanytherein1721, whoweretohavethehousehalfofeachweek,withtheotherhalf-week beingtakenbyacompanyof"frenchvermin,"inHill'sdiplomaticphrase.4 Duringthe1734-35season,aFrenchcompanyunderthedirectionofthe HarlequinplayerFrancisqueMoylin(whohadperformedinEnglandwith othertroupesbefore)mountedalargerepertoireatthelittleHaymarketfour timesaweek,withgoodcommercialandmixedcriticalsuccess.5ThetheatreblazedfamouslyunderHenryFielding'smanagementduring theseasonsof1736and1737,whenitwasknownasMr.Fielding'sScan- dal-Shop,andplayslikehisPasquÃ-n(1736)andHistoricalRegister(1737)drewrecordaudiences.ButthoseplaysalsoledtotheLicensingAct,passed inJuneof1737,providingforcensorshipofallnewplayscriptsintheLord Chamberlain'soffice,andeffectivelylimitingplayperformancestothetwo patenthouses.ThelittleHaymarkettheatreclosedinMayof1737anddid notreopenagainuntilOctoberofthefollowingyear,whenplaybillsappearedadvertisingaperformanceoftheAbb éAllainval'scomedyL'embarras desRichesses(orThePlagueofRiches,astheEnglishtranslationwascalled), withMarivaux'sArlequinpoliparl'Amourastheintendedafterpiece,bya companyofFrenchcomedians"justarrived."6Atthetopofthebillswere printedthewords"ByAuthority." BythedayofperformanceonMonday,October9,disapprovingwordof thiseventhadcirculatedvigorously,incoffee-houseconversationandnews- paperprint,creatinganaudiencedeterminedoratleastdisposedtodisrupt theshow.BenjaminVictorwasthereandreportedthatpeoplewentearlyto thetheatre,"asacroudedHousewascertain."7Therewasacontingentof notablesfromcourt,andtheFrenchandSpanishambassadors,whosatwith theirwivesinastagebox.Theleadersoftheoppositionwerealsopresent, "oneofwhom,"saysVictor,"calledaloudfortheSonginPraiseofEnglish RoastBeef,whichwasaccordinglysungintheGallerybyaPersonprepared forthatPurpose;andthewholeHousebesidesjoiningintheChorus,saluted theClosewiththreeHuzzas!"(1:54).Anditwasn'tyetevencurtaintime. AlsopresentwastheWestminstermagistrateThomasDeVeil(Fielding's ownpredecessoratBowStreet),whogotupfromhisplaceinthepitand declaredthesingingandcheeringtobeariot,"uponwhichDisputescom- menceddirectly,whichwerecarriedonwithsomeDegreeofDecencyon bothSides."Victorcontinues: Cross-CL·nnelDramaticsintheLittleHaymarketTheatreRiotI65 TheJusticeatfirstinformedus,"ThathewascomethereasaMagistrate tomaintaintheKing'sauthority;thatColonelPulteney,withafullCom- panyoftheGuards,werewithout,tosupporthimintheExecutionofhis Office;thatitwastheKing'sCommandthePlayshouldbeacted;andthat theobstructingitwasopposingtheKing'sAuthority;andifthatwas done,hemustreadtheProclamation;afterwhichallOffenderswouldbe secureddirectlybytheGuardsinwaiting."(1:54—55) Asonecriticlaterpointedout,heapingscornuponDeVeil'signoranceof law,areadingoftheRiotProclamationagainstthisassemblywouldhave requirednotonlytheaudiencebutalsotheactorstodisperse.8 Whenthecurtainfinallyroseatsix,theactorsandactressesappearedas usual,butamazingly(asVictordescribesit)"standingbetweentwoFilesof Grenadiers,withtheirBayonetsfixed,andrestingontheirFirelocks"(1:56). ThewholepitturneduponDeVeilshoutingforanexplanation;heprofessed toknownothingoftheGuards'placementonstage(thoughitwaswidely assumedhehadputthemthereandwasnowmerelyconsultinghisownsafety). Heorderedthemoffthestage,andtheywithdrew."ThenbegantheSer- enade,"asVictorputsit:anuproarofboos,catcalls,whistlingandfoot- stamping,"andallthevariousportableInstruments,thatcouldmakeadis- agreeableNoise"(1:57).Theactors,unabletospeak,alsowithdrew,anda granddancewastried:"buteventhatwaspreparedfor;andtheyweredi- rectlysalutedwithaBushelortwoofPeas,whichmadetheirCaperingvery unsafe"(1:57-58).Thentheytriedtoopenthecomedy,butagainthedeafeningnoisemadeitimpossible . DeVeilgotuponhisseat,wavinghishand,andofferedadeal:Letthe playbeactedandhewouldpromisetoconveytheirgrievancestotheKing. "NoTreaties,"theyshoutedback,andthemagistratecalledforcandlesto readtheriotproclamation,butthenfaltered,"paleandpassive.AtthisPause theActorsmadeasecondAttempttogoon,andtheUproarrevived;which continuingsomeTime,theEmbassadorsandtheirLadieslefttheirBox,which occasionedauniversalHuzzafromthewholeHouse!andaftercallingout someTimefortheFallingoftheCurtain,downitfell"(1:59-60). Thereasonfortheriotwassimple,atleastasdescribedincontemporary pressaccountssympathetictothecauseoftheoffendedplaygoers.English actors,playwrights,scene-painters,andcandle-snufferswereoutofworkas theresultofanodiouscourtlicensingbillpassedoverpopularandprofes- sionalobjection,andnowherewasthisFrenchensembleinvitedbycourt politiciansandbigwigstoperforminLondon,atanunlicensedhouse,but withsomekindofofficialsanction("byAuthority"),9andevensoldiersfrom astandingarmy—itselfaboneofbitterpoliticaldispute—postedonthestage 66/LOCKWOOD tocowthepoorplaygoersintheexerciseoftheiroldprerogativesofthepit. Fromthebeginningtoothiswasanoppositionpartyissue,anditwasthe oppositionpresswhichinstantly"definedthedebate,"aswewouldsay,and didmostofthereporting.10 Thisreportingbeganwellbeforetheeventitself.TheLondonEvening PosttooknoticeoftheintendedperformanceasearlyasSeptember5,before thevisitingplayershadevenarrived,alsoadvancingtheessentialpolitical constructionwhichtheeventwasnevertoescape,andwhichindeedfulfilled itselfsospectacularlyattheplayhouseonOctober9:"ACompanyofFrench ComediansareactuallycomingoverhitherfromParistotakeoffsomeofour FoolsPencethisWinter,whiletoomanyofourownPeople,unhappilybroughtupinthatWay,areconstrain'dtoperishwiththeirFamilies."Andfromthe samecombativepaperamonthlater,butstillsixdaysbeforetheperfor- mancedate:"TheFrenchCompanyofComediansnewlyarriv'dfromParis consistsofseventyPersons.—IfseveralofourownCountrymenarealmost starv'dbybeingdebar'dactingwithoutaLicence,it'spresum'dFrenchStroll- erswon'tbeallow'dtocomeandeattheBreadoutoftheirMouths"(October3 ,1738).Itishardtoimaginethatseventypeoplecameoveronthis enterprise,andothersourcesgivenoindicationofthesizeofthetroupe. Sincethepointhereisthatthetroupeisreallyaswarmofforeignlabor competition,perhapsthenumbershouldnotbetakentooliterally.11 Intheweekfollowingtheriotitself,severaloppositionpapersrannews paragraphsdescribingtheevent,ofwhichthisone(fromCommonSense, October14)istypical: LastTuesdaynight[actuallyMonday],attheNewTheaterintheHay- market,wasattemptedtobeplay'd,bytheFrenchCompanylatelyar- rived,theComedyofL'EmbarasdesRichesses;butnotwithstandingthe RhetorickofanotedMiddlesexJustice,ortheMenacesofthreeFilesof Musketeers,whowereplantedupontheStage,completelyarm'd,the AudienceweresoPolite,andsomuchEnglish,thattheywouldnotpermit themtogoonwiththePlay:WhichshewsthetrueSpiritoftheEnglish Nation,indiscouragingaFrenchSetofVagabonds,whoattempttoplay contrarytoanActofParliament. CommonSensewaseditedandmainlywrittenbyCharlesMolloy,anex- playwrightandIrishJacobitelawyerwhohadachievedgreatsuccesswith thepapersinceitscommencementnotquitetwoyearsbeforeasavehicleof thenewer,morestylishwingofChesterfieldianWhigoppositiontoWalpole. Inthenextnumber,onOctober21,MolloydevotesaleadertotheHaymarket events,12pressinghometheideaofanintendedfurtherencroachmentofthe Cross-ChannelDramaticsintheLittleHaymarketTheatreRiotI67 licensingauthorityoncivilliberty,andmakinglearnedargumentontheab- soluterightofplaygoerstorejectplays: SosoonastheBillappearedfortheirPlaying,withthewordAUTHOR- ITYplacedatTop,thePublicwasstungtotheQuick,andthoughtthem- selvesconcernedtoexertthatLibertytheyenjoy,toresenttheAffrontput uponthembytheCh---------η[i.e.,LordChamberlain].Theyfilledthe House,andplay'donalltheArtilleryofCat-cals,Bells,&c.againstthe Stage,andthemiserableComedianssufferedforSinsnottheirown. Molloysaysthataftertheblow-upheretiredtoatavern"withsomeof thosewhomIsawmostactiveinthePit,"andsuggestedtothemthatperhaps theirbehaviormightappearcruelandbarbaroustotheforeigners.Oneof theseactivistsismadetoreply"thattheJudicatureofthePithadbeen acknowledg'd...fromTimeimmemorial...,"andthatanyblameforthe resultlaywiththoseatcourtwho,knowinghowfreshwasthepopularre- sentmentoftheLicensingActasarestraintonthefreetradeintheatrical goodsofnativeEnglishgrowth,shouldhavetheeffronterytoaddthisfor- eigninsult,asitwere,tothatinjury.Someinauthorityhadapparentlytried todefendtheundertakingasdesignedmerelyfortheentertainmentofMa- dameWallmoden,KingGeorge'smistress: AstothePretence,thattheyweresentfortodivertaForeignWomanwho doesnotunderstandEnglish,sheshouldhaveengagedthemtoplayather ownHouse,orratherherLodgings,andhaveinvitedherownCompany:It isnottobedoubtedbutshewillsoonberichenoughtopaythem,forwe daresayshedidnotcomeintothisCountrytolearntheLanguage.—But astheyweretotaketheirFatewiththePublic,wewerefreetoreceive themaswepleased;andsinceMr.Ch---------ηwouldnotlicenseour Actors,wewouldnotlicensehis. Mostridiculousandoffensiveofall,toMolloy,isthefigureofthecourt magistrateDeVeil,officiouslyseekingtodothebiddingofthecentralgov- ernment,evencontrarytolaw.Molloycallshim"thelittledapperHugonot." Seeinghimthereinthepitthatnight"withaPaperinhisHand,asifhewas goingtodeclareWaragainstthewholeWorld,"hesays,puthiminmindof aColleyCibberstory—"ourpresentincomparableLaureat":"Hetookit intohisHeadoncetowishhimselfKingofFrance,andbeingasked,for whatReason?—'Because(sayshe)IwouldpublishanEdict,ThatthePlay- ersshouldactnoPlaysbutmyown,andthatthePublicshouldbeobligedto likethem.'"MolloyandDeVeilcontinuedtheirsideshowoffuriousper- 68/LOCKWOOD sonaiabuse.DeVeiltooktothepagesofthepro-governmentDailyGazet- teerindefenseofhisownconduct,alsoobjectingmightilytothederisive appellationoÃ-Hugonot.Well,then,saysMolloy,"lethimbeonlytheSonof aHugonot,ortheSonofa------------,foritisnotworthcontendingfor."13 AsfortheFrenchplayers,Molloyexpressespityfortheircase.Theywere invitedhere,knowingnothingofourdisputes:"TheirJourneymusthavecost themagreatDealofMoney;—andifthosewhohavedrawnthemintothis ScrapedonotpaythemalltheirExpenses,andgivethemsomethingbesides tocomfortthemfortheMortificationtheymusthavesuffered...Ishall thinktheytreatthesepoorPlayersasillastheyhavetreatedtheTown" (CommonSense,October21).Andtheplayersinfacthadbeenratherroughed up.DeVeilcontended"thataPenknifewasthrownatoneoftheActresses upontheStage."Molloyreplies:"ThiscouldnotbedonebyanyGentlemen ofthePit:—APenknifeisaWeaponnoGentlemeneverusedagainstapretty Actress."14ThetwoprincipalsoftheFrenchtroupe,MoylinFrancisque(their Harlequin,andyoungerbrotherofthemorenotableFrancisque)andJean BaptistIeSage,publishedapetitionintheLondonDailyPostofNovember 8,pleadingtheircasewiththeLondonpublic"inHopesthattheywillbeso indulgentastopermitustoperformthreeNightsonlyinoneofthePatent Theatres,soastoenableustodischargethoseDebtswehavecontracted here,andwewillthenhumblytakeourLeaves,andreturntoFrance."No suchindulgencewasforthcoming,however,andtheyhadtomaketheirway backattheendofNovemberunaided.15 Now,whatdoesthiswholeaffairsignify?Threeideasaboutitsmeaning occurtome.Theatreaudienceshadriotedorprotestedbefore,butusuallyfor reasonsofbusiness,liketicketpricesorseatingpolicy.16Performanceshad beenstoppedbefore,too,byhypercriticalaudiencesor,inafewcases,by governmentaction.Eightyearsbeforeatthissametheatre,infact,constables hadmountedthestagetoarresttheperformersofasupposedlyseditious adaptationoftheoldplayTheFallofMortimer.Andlessthanayearbefore,intheoratoryroomatYorkBuildings,JamesLacyandnine"assistants"had beenstoppedfromperformingaplayintheguiseofareligious"lecture."17 Butherewasafascinatinglynewcircumstance,withgovernmentpower assertingitselftoforceaplaytobeperformed.Sometimesanunlovedplay wouldbedefendedbytheauthor'sfriends,whomightattendtheopening performanceenmassetoleadtheaudienceinclappingforaplayorother- wisekeepingitafloat.Butmilitaryprotectionwasanothermatter,andlifein thiscasehadclearlygotthebetterofart.Thelivetheatricalityofthewhole offstageeventitselfwasitsmostirresistiblecharacteristic—stillis—and equallyalsothemostvitalpartofitsmeaning. ThelittleHaymarketpitandgalleriesbecamethestageofanunscripted dramawhichneverthelessunfoldedasifscripteddowntoeverytellingde- Cross-ChannelDramaticsintheLittleHaymarketTheatreRiotI69 tail,withthelittledapperHuguenotblusteringlikePistol,acompany(liter- ally)ofmilitaryextras,playersasspectatorsandspectatorsasplayers.The titleofthisdramawouldbe"TheFallofTyranny,"orperhaps"LibertyAs- serted,"anditissignificantinthisconnectionthatonecontemporaryreader oftheeventactuallytriesoutseveralmockingtitlesfortheoffstageplay: TheCompanyofComediansnewlyarrivedherefromParis,having,bya verysorrowfulAccidentlosttheirfavouritePiece,called,ThePlagueof Riches,wereobliged,inSpiteoftheirTeeth,toplay,ThePlagueofPlay- ers,whichwasinfinitelypleasingtotheEnglishSpectators;andifthey shouldrepeatthesame,theywouldbesureofmeetingwiththesame Reception,onlywithmoreLifeandSpirit:TheytremblewiththeThoughts ofbeingforcedtoactThePlagueofReturning;aTragi-comedynotworth oneFarthing,butyetwhatpleasestheTasteofthosegrossRoast-Beefs theEnglish.1" Indomesticpoliticalterms,itisasiftheoppositionhadfound—virtually hadbeenhanded—themostadvantageouspossibleopportunitytoperform theultimateunlicenseddrama,showinghowthe"country"partisansofOld Englandmightasserttheirancientcivillibertiesagainsttheoutrageousac- tionsofacourtandministrywhichweredevelopingaFrenchtasteforarbi- trarypower.Everybodyknewthattherejectionofastageshowlaydeep withintherightsofEnglishtheatreaudiencestimeoutofmind.Eventhe humblestsubjectssittingupinthecheapestseatscouldwhistleandboowith- outcontrol.Inthepoliticalsystemofthetheatre,therewasanoldanalogy betweenthecourtofthekingorministerandthe"court"ofthetheatreman- ager.Bothwerepoliticalestablishments,andbothcouldbecorrupt,asField- inghadratherprovocativelyargued,ontheeveoftheLicensingAct,in EurydiceHiss'd.Buteventhetyrant-managerlikeCibberhadnopowerto controltheverdictsofhisaudiences,whosatlikejuriesontheplaysthey paidtosee.Withthisevent,however,thesatiricalanalogyseemedtocol- lapseintooneliteralmeaning.FieldingusedtomockCibberforforcingplays onhisaudiences.19Herewasaplaybeingforcedontheaudienceinearnest, notbyatyrantmanagerbutbyatyrantminister. Andthenthecomicsub-themeofthisdramawastheclownishstupidityof thegovernment:whatFieldinginhisownlastplayhadcalled,almostifnot exactlyinsomanywords,thefarceofgovernment.20TheLittleTheatrehad beendarksinceMay24...

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