Placide, Greene, and Twaits-Destruction of the Richmond Theatre by Fire, and Dissolution of the Charleston management of that period-Mr. 293 Scraps-Mr. Cooke's Father-Miss Rock-Cooke and Matthews-Kean— Cooke's Monument-Mr. and Miss Holman-Dr. Wilson's Letter to Dr. Hosack- Dr. Hosack's Letter introducing Mr. Holman to a Friend in Philadelphia-Letter to Dr. Hosack on the Death of Mr. Holman-Con- 325 THE AMERICAN THEATRE. CHAPTER XX. 1797 The two Theatres in New-York Lailson's Circus - Two Theatres in Boston - Wignell returns to Philadelphia and Hodgkinson to New-York Mr. Cooper joins the New-York Company The New or Park Theatre opened, January 29th, 1798 - Mr. Wignell closes the Philadelphia Theatre, and assigns as the causes Mr. Moreton's ill-health, and the defection of Messrs. Fennell and Cooper Mr. Cooper's Hamlet Tragedy of André Joan of Arc Chalmers and Melocosmiotis Mr. Hodgkinson determines to relinquish New-York, and engages both the Boston houses The Park Theatre leased to Mr. Dunlap Biography of Mr. William B. Wood. THE yellow fever having taken possession of Philadelphia, in August, 1797, Solee's intended opening in the old theatre in Southwark was prevented, and, as before noticed, he (or rather the company directed by their own whims) was playing at John Street, and Wignell's company, well directed and organized, in Greenwich Street. An extract from a letter will give a notion of the relative success. VOL. II. B "Solee opened here last Friday, the 18th of August, to 374 dollars, and played again on Monday to 315 dollars. I hear much praise of Mrs. Williamson's Little Pickle. Last Wednesday, the 23d of August, Wignell opened with Venice Preserved, and Who's the Dupe? to upwards of 1000 dollars. The performance was highly approved, and Mrs. Merry left a lasting impression." This splendid exhibition has been noticed. Harwood appeared in Gradus, which he played very finely. Another extract: "We went to John Street, where, to a very thin audience (130 dollars) was performed The Gamester and Romp. Mrs. Barrett's personation of Mrs. Beverley was very respectable, and her appearance majestic; there was not much else to praise, except Mrs. Williamson's Romp. Barrett is not equal to a first place in a company now and here. Wignell was present and most of his performers, who were tittering at the performance of the tragedy." On the other hand, "Williamson declares Cooper's Pierre 'execrable,' Moreton's Jaffier 'very so-so,' and Mrs. Merry's last night's performance below par.' Barrett says, he saw nothing to be frightened at. Fennell made his first appearance in New-York, in the character of Zanga, early in September, adding still more to the reputation of the Greenwich Street Company. Another extract: "I last night (September 11th, 1797) saw Mrs. Merry's Juliet with much delight. There were a great many people present, the first and most respectable of our people, while at John Street, Bunker's Hill was performing to a mere rabble, amounting to a house of 200 dollars, and even the rabble execrated it. On Friday night Wignell played Columbus to something above 600 dollars. The John Street company put off until Saturday. On Saturday Wignell repeated Columbus to, I think, less than 200 dollars. The John Street company put off until further notice." Thus Hodgkinson was playing in the Haymarket theatre, Boston, to houses below expenses, but paying the salaries of himself and family, and his partner borrowing money in the hope to keep together the company for the new house, and be repaid in the autumn by opening it. He advanced to Solee, as one engaged by Hodgkinson, to a large amount, which he had finally to lose. The John Street theatre, under Solee, was closed October 3rd, 1797, with Jane Shore and The Poor Soldier; Jane Shore, by an American lady; Alicia, by an English lady; both first appearances. The American had figure and voice, though in the main abominably bad. The English woman was Irish, and had played several times in other places; it was an Irish first appearance, and reminds us of the gentleman who, coming to join a company after they had left the place, exclaims—“ I'm first, after all." While Wignell was using Rickett's circus as a theatre, Lailson was building a new one, likewise in Greenwich Street. No vestige of either remains. Cooper, dissatisfied with Wignell's preference of Fennell, and Wignell, perhaps, dissatisfied with Cooper's inattention to business, were now openly at variance, and it was prophesied that the young tragedian would not submit to the rule of one who treated him en cavalier. Indeed, it was already reported, that he was going to Charleston, S. C. with Solee. On the other hand, Wignell threatened to arrest him. This difference was made up, and Cooper continued to play in Greenwich Street, and occasionally had an opportunity of bursting forth with a force and fire, guided by genius and taste, that won the audience of NewYork, and made him a decided favourite before the theatre closed. His Hastings, in Jane Shore, made a great impression; on some, a greater than his Pierre had done. Solee having made arrangements with Hodgkinson for occupying the Haymarket theatre, Boston, and having carried his company thither, and Hodgkinson having broken up for New-York, his. partner in this losing business left home for Boston, thinking to meet him on the road, and deeming it necessary to be on the spot, to secure, if possible, the sums lent to Solee. They did not meet. Solee had not yet opened the theatre at Boston. All parties appear to have been playing at crosspurposes, and every step was leading to ultimate bankruptcy |