The History of "Punch" Part 10

Scene--An elegantly furnished apartment in Bouncer's Mansion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FOR CHARLES H. BENNETT'S BENEFIT. (See p. 132)

MR. ARTHUR LEWIS MR. TWISS SIR JOHN TENNIEL R. T. PRITCHETT SHIRLEY BROOKS MARK LEMON ARTHUR CECIL (BLUNT) HENRY SILVER SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN MISS ELLEN TERRY MR DU MAURIER MISS KATE TERRY TOM TAYLOR

(_By Permission of the London. Stereoscopic Company._)]

Tableaux--1. c.o.x at his looking-gla.s.s.--2. c.o.x and Bouncer, the trial of the hat.--3. The beauties of bacon.--4. Revenons a nos moutons.--5. The stranger!--6. The duel!!--7. The gamblers. The hazard. The false die.--8. "Reading of the will."--9. (A cla.s.sical study.) Penelope.--10. Knox! et praeterea nil.

Mr. SHIRLEY BROOKS will deliver an ADDRESS.

After which will be performed Mr. Tom Taylor's popular Drama,

A SHEEP IN WOLF'S CLOTHING.

Colonel Percy Kirke, of Kirke's Lambs Mr. MARK LEMON.

Colonel Lord Churchill, of the Life Guards Mr. JOHN TENNIEL.

Master Jasper Carew Mr. TOM TAYLOR.

Kester Chedzoy Mr. F. C. BURNAND.

Corporal Flintoff } { Mr. HORACE MAYHEW.

Hackett } of Kirke's Lambs { Mr. HENRY SILVER.

Rasper } { Mr. R. T. PRITCHETT.

John Zoyland, a Locksmith Mr. SHIRLEY BROOKS.

Dame Carew, Wife of Jasper Carew (by the kind permission of B. Webster, Esq.) Miss KATE TERRY.

Dame Carew, Mother of Jasper Carew Mrs. STOKER.

Sibyl, Daughter of Jasper Carew Miss FLORENCE TERRY.

Keziah Mapletoft, Servant to Anne Miss ELLEN TERRY (Mrs. Watts).

To be followed by J. Offenbach's Bouffonnerie Musicale,

LES DEUX AVEUGLES.

Stanislas Giraffier Mons. G. Du Maurier.

Giacomo Patachon Mons. Hal. Power.

To conclude with Mr. John Oxenford's Farce, in one Act,

A FAMILY FAILING.

Characters by Messrs. ARTHUR BLUNT, MARK LEMON, TOM TAYLOR, HENRY SILVER, and Miss ELLEN TERRY.

Tickets for the Dress Circle and Stalls, One Guinea each, may be obtained from any Member of the Committee; at the Theatre Royal; from Messrs. Hime and Addison, and Mr. Slater, St. Ann's Square; and Messrs. Forsyth, St. Ann's Street.

On this occasion, says an anonymous writer, "The celebrated cartoonist received the reception of the evening. The audience rose _en ma.s.se_ and cheered. Tom Taylor, playing in his own piece the princ.i.p.al character, was, comparatively speaking, nowhere. The most interesting personality of the _Punch_ Staff was unquestionably Tenniel."

Affiliated with _Punch_, in its membership at least, was that "Guild of Literature and Art" of which Charles d.i.c.kens was the father. Its theatrical career began in 1845 at the Royalty Theatre, Soho, at that time called Miss Kelly's, the initial performance being Ben Jonson's "Every Man in his Humour," with Mark Lemon as Brainworm and d.i.c.kens as Bobadil. (_See p. 137._) On May 15th, 1848, much the same company, in aid of the fund for the endowment of the perpetual curatorship of Shakespeare's house at Stratford-on-Avon, gave the "Merry Wives of Windsor," when d.i.c.kens played Shallow; George Cruikshank, Pistol; John Leech, Slender; Mark Lemon, Falstaff; and other characters were represented by George Henry Lewes, John Forster, Dudley Costello, Augustus Egg, R.A., and Mr. Cowden Clarke--a goodly company. Mr. Sala says that Lemon's conception of Falstaff (which was also known to the public through the jovial editor's "readings"), though well understood, was "the worst he ever saw;" but Mrs. Cowden Clarke declared it "a fine embodiment of rich, unctuous raciness, no caricature, rolling greasiness and grossness, no exaggerated vulgarisation of Shakespeare's immortal 'fat knight,' but a florid, rotund, self-indulgent voluptuary--thoroughly at his ease, thoroughly prepared to take advantage of all gratification that might come in his way, and thoroughly preserving the manners of a gentleman accustomed to the companionship of a prince. John Leech's Master Slender," she continues, "was picturesquely true to the gawky, flabby, booty squire.... His mode of sitting on a stile, with his long ungainly legs dangling down ...

ever and anon e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. his maudlin cuckoo cry of 'Oh sweet Ann Page,'

was a delectable treat." Without disrespect to Leech's memory, it may be said that others of his friends did not form a similarly favourable opinion of his histrionic powers.

A company quite as notable in its way was that which played "Not so Bad as We Seem," by Lytton (with whom _Punch_ had made his peace), at Devonshire House, on May 27th, 1851, before the Queen and the Prince Consort, at the instance of the Duke of Devonshire. The playbill deserves to be preserved here, although the only _Punch_ names among the actors are those of Jerrold, Lemon, and Tenniel--the last-named of whom is the only survivor of them all.

MEN.

The Duke of Middles.e.x { Peers Attached To the Son } Mr. Frank Stone, A.R.A.

The Earl of Loftus { of James II., Commonly } Mr. Dudley Costello { Called the First Pretender

Lord Wilmot { a Young Man at the Head } Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens { of the Mode More Than a } { Century Ago, Son To Lord } { Loftus }

Mr. Shadowly Softhead { a Young Gentleman From the } Mr. Douglas Jerrold { City, Friend and Double } { of Lord Wilmot }

Mr. Hardman { a Rising Member of } Mr. John Forster Parliament { and Adherent To Sir } { Robert Walpole }

Sir Geoffrey Thornside{ a Gentleman of Good Family } Mr. Mark Lemon { and Estate }

Mr. Goodenough Easy { in Business, Highly } Mr. F. W. Topham Respectable, { and a Friend of Sir } { Geoffrey }

Lord le Trimmer } Frequenters of Wills' { Mr. Peter Cunningham Sir Thomas Timid } Coffee House { Mr. Westland Marston Colonel Flint } { Mr. R. H. Horne

Mr. Jacob Tonson a Bookseller Mr. Charles Knight

Smart Valet To Lord Wilmot Mr. Wilkie Collins

Hodge { Servant To Sir Geoffrey } Mr. John Tenniel { Thornside }

Paddy O'sullivan Mr. Fallen's Landlord Mr. Robert Bell

Mr. David Fallen { Grub Street Author and } Mr. Augustus Egg, { Pamphleteer } A.R.A.

Lord Strongbow, Sir John Bruin, Drawers, } Coffee House Loungers Newsmen, Watchmen, &c. &c. }

WOMEN.

Lucy { Daughter to Sir Geoffrey } Mrs. Compton { Thornside }

Barbara Daughter to Mr. Easy. Miss Ellen Chaplin

The Silent Lady of Deadman's Lane.

Date of Play--The Reign of George I.