| Citation |
VGW(RI.773.035
22 Apr 1773:11 (363 Supplement)
London, . . . Feb. 18. Last night Mr. Foote's long expected
puppet shew was performed, for the first time, at the
Theatre Royal in the Haymarket: It began with a very
humourous exordium spoken by Mr. Foote, in which he
described the origin, antiquity, and utility, of the species
of drama he was going to produce. The shew is called "The
Handsome Housemaid; or Piety in Pattens, " and contains a
number of satirical strokes, which furnished much
entertainment; but the additional stage where the figures
were exhibited was too far removed from the audience, for
many of the persons who spoke for the puppets, to be
distinctly heard; and some part of the spectators not
understanding the intentions of placing persons in the front
of the house to converse with the master of the shew, and
other disliking the shortness of the piece, several persons
expressed their disapprobation at the conclusion of the
entertainment, and the galleries strenuously insisted that
the pieces should be withdrawn, in which they were opposed
by the pit and boxes. A general scene of disorder ensued;
some of the benches were torn up, and on Mr. Foote's being
repeatedly called for, he came on, and the spectators being
divided, after great altercation, the question was put
whether the puppet shew should be played again, and a
majority appearing in favour of it, Mr. Foote politely
retired. The croud was so great before six o'clock, from
the numbers that resorted to the above entertainment, that
the Haymarket was impassable for above an hour; the doors of
the Theatre were broke open, and great numbers entered the
house without paying any thing for their admission. [7 more
lines, disorder in the house, leading people present.] . . .
though a debate was carrying on in the House of Commons,
which was expected to last till three o'clock in the
morning, the illustrious representatives of the people could
not withstand the invitation of the puppets. On the
contrary, they crouded from the service of their country to
the region of amusement, and, when the piece terminated,
returned to wait for a division. The leading business of
the puppet drama is to ridicule those dull sentimental
comedies which now set the theatrical audiences so fast
asleep; for the dialogue of the puppets teemed with those
hackneyed and disjointed sentiments which are become so
fashionable of late, and the scene exhibited those unnatural
transitions of passion which Mr. Cumberland had the honour
of bringing into vogue.
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