INTRODUCTION OF THE DRAMA IN AMERICA. 7

then not improperly be called the western wilderness, the ex-manager's next step was to find suitable persons to fill up the corps dramatique, and to induce them to join his brother and sister in this theatrical forlorn hope. He succeeded in enlisting a good and efficient company, willing to leave their country (and perhaps their creditors), and fitted to ensure success to the perilous adventure. The emigrants were next assembled at the house of William Hallam; a list of stock plays was produced by him, with attendant farces, and the cast of the whole agreed upon in full assembly of the body politic: which appears to have been a well organized republic, every member of which had his part assigned to him, both private and public, behind and before the curtain. Lewis Hallam was appointed manager, chief magistrate, or king, and William, who staid at home, was to be " viceroy over him," according to Trinculo's division of offices. The brothers were to divide profits equally, after deducting the expenses and shares. Thus William was entitled to half of such profits as projector and proprietor, and Lewis to the other half as manager and conductor.

The names of the persons who, under the direction of the Hallams, introduced the Drama into our country having been communicated to the writer by one of the number, he takes pleasure in recording them, and feels that, although under other circumstances they would be, perhaps, suffered to float down the tide of time to oblivion, their ad

venture and its consequences render them worthy subjects for the pen of the dramatic historian, and interesting to all who take an interest in the literature of our country. Mr. and Mrs. Hallam were first in consequence and in talents. Mr. Rigby played the first line in tragedy and comedy, and was only inferior to the leaders. Mrs. Rigby does not appear to have had high pretensions. Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson were of the class called useful. Miss Palmer, Mr. Singleton, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Winnell, or Wynel, Mr. Adcock, and Mr. Malone, completed the company, and filled the dramatis personæ of the plays that were cast at the proprietor's house.

Of the twenty-four plays and their attendant farces, cast and put in study before leaving England, we have the names of the following:-The Merchant of Venice, The Fair Penitent, The Beaux' Stratagem, Jane Shore, The Recruiting Officer, King Richard III, The Careless Husband, The Constant Couple, Hamlet, Othello, Theodosius (a great favourite every where, added our informant), Provoked Husband, Tamerlane, The Inconstant, Woman's a Riddle, The Suspicious Husband, The Conscious Lovers, George Barnwell, The Committee, and The Twin Rivals. We cannot record the names of these twenty plays without interest. They were doubtless the favourites of the metropolis of Great Britain at that time, and stood paramount whereever the stage spoke the English tongue. How many of them now hold possession of the scene? At most, six; and of the six four are Shakspeare's,

FIRST PLAYS AND FARCES IN AMERICA.

9

the only four from his pen in the twenty. All Farquhar's comedies, whose dialogue for wit was unrivalled but by Shakspeare's, are laid on the shelf, or occasionally revived at a benefit, cut down to afterpieces. Colley Cibber's Careless Husband, pronounced by Pope the best comedy in the language, cannot be tolerated; and even Bishop Hoadley's Suspicious Husband exhibits licentiousness that we turn from as unfit for representation. The farces cast and studied for the common stock wereLethe, The Lying Valet, Miss in her Teens, The Mock Doctor, The Devil to Pay, Hob in the Well, Damon and Philida, and The Anatomist. In the last it is recorded that Rigby was so excellent in the French doctor, that the farce stood first on the list for popularity and profit. From this we gather that Mr. Rigby had talents of Hodgkinsonian order, as he was the first in tragedy and genteel comedy, and excellent in farce. Of pantomimes, the company had but one for many years, which was called Harlequin Collector, or the Miller Deceived. We will remark of these eight farces that three were Garrick's, and two of the three are still played.

Lewis Hallam, junior, known by those who remember him by the familiar appellation of old Hallam, (the son of the Lewis Hallam who led these adventurers as manager and first low comedian), from whom this account of the adventure and its origin is derived, was at the time a boy of twelve years, and at a grammar-school at Cambridge. The

choice was given him of remaining at his school, or going with his parents, and he had no hesitation in preferring the latter. A younger son, Adam, and a daughter, soon introduced on the stage as Miss Hallam, made a part of the company of emigrants, and eventually of the company of players. A daughter, still younger, being then six years of age, was left with her uncle William, and became afterward famous in dramatic history as Mrs. Mattocks.

We have said that the profits of the adventure were to be equally divided between the original proprietor and projector and his brother the conductor and manager. These profits were to be the residue and remainder, after deducting the shares, for this was what is known among players as a sharing company or scheme, and so continued until some time after our revolution. In such schemes the manager has one or more shares as reward for the trouble of governing; one or more shares pay him for the use, wear and tear, of the property; one or more shares according to his abilities or reputation as an actor; and he generally avails himself of the power which rests with him of casting plays so as to keep up his reputation by appropriating the best or most popular parts to himself. The remaining shares, after the manager is satisfied, are divided among the members of the commonwealth, according to ability, reputation in the profession, or the influence obtained by becoming favourites with the public.

SHARING SCHEME.

11

Hallam's company, under the appellation of the American Company, in process of time underwent a change. The principal performers became partners in the property; the number of sharers were diminished; actors were engaged on weekly salaries; and by degrees the present system was established, in which one man, or a company forming a copartnership, are lessees or proprietors, and the stage-manager and performers are hired.

It is proper in the early history of the stage in this country to state many particulars which would be out of place in a record of the affairs of a more recent date. As we have the power to lay before the reader the original proportions in which the receipts of this first company were divided, with the shares assigned to each individual, we shall proceed so to do.

The number of shares was fixed at eighteen. The number of adult performers was twelve, including

the manager, each being entitled to one share. Mr. Hallam had another share as manager. Four shares were assigned to the property, and one share was allowed for the manager's three children. It is to be presumed that the four shares assigned for the property were to be divided between the brothers, as the profits of the partnership, otherwise it is hard to say from whence profit was to accrue.

Having despatched these preliminaries, we will attend this band of adventurers on their voyage of experiment. Early in the month of May they embarked in the Charming Sally, Captain Lee, and