The Sans Pareil Theatre Seasonal Digest for 1815-1816 Ed. Franklin Case

The Sans Pareil Theatre Seasonal Digest for 1815-1816
Ed. Franklin Case

Based on the number of performances, the most durable and admired of these works were: The Conjurer (a burletta, 49 performances); Love in the Vintage (a ballet, 46 performances); The Witch and the Owl (a pantomime, 44 performances); The Old Oak Chest (a melodrama, 39 performances); Jamie of Aberdeen (a ballet, 24 performances); The Inscription (a ballet, 29 performances); Harlequin Rasselas (a pantomime, 21 performances); Asgard The Daemon Hunter (a melodrama, 18 performances). Apparently, this season's audiences thrived on ballet and pantomime, with melodrama enjoying its usual strong showing.

During this season, Miss Jane Scott's burletta The Conjurer was produced for the first time in England with these words of praise on the bill: "Now performing in Paris and through the provinces with enthusiastic approbation." For the opening of her melodrama Asgard The Daemon Hunter on 30 October, an entirely new architectural front drop scene was introduced, "representing a grand imperial palace" with statues and banners celebrating Roman historical figures. The Two Little Savoyards was performed for the first time since September 1808, according to Nicoll's History. The bill emphasizes that the performance took place "with the original French music." Harlequin Rasselas, author unknown, was based on Dr. Johnson's tale, and its bill contains a detailed plot summary. Master Snelling (age 4) performed the flute selections in Love in the Vintage in his first public appearance. Alphonso was written from the renowned romance of Gonzalve de Cordova.

"Tippitywichet" sung during Stratagems was by Charles Dibdin, the younger. While at Sadler's Wells, Dibdin had begun a series of broad songs and extravaganzas sung by the Clown, Joseph Grimaldi. Of these songs, "Tippitywichet" and "Hot Codlings," became standards and suffered the dubious distinction of being appropriated by "piratical publications," as Dibdin put it. The Theatrical Inquisitor had this to say in January:

Miss Scott deserves much praise for her exertions to render this house deservedly attractive. The interior is really fitted up in a respectable manner, and several new pieces of merit have been produced, particularly one called The Inscription, apparently founded on Murphy's Desert Island. The pantomime [The Witch and the Owl] is also remarkedly amusing (p. 77).

The theatre was dark for Martyr's Day, 30 January 1816, and for Ash Wednesday, 28 February 1816.

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The Sans Pareil Theatre Seasonal Digest for 1816-1817
Ed. Franklin Case

This house is worthy of its name, since of all the theatres in London, it can claim the praise of being the prettiest. The decorations and embellishments are all new and in the best taste, and the tout ensemble must be allowed by everyone to be uncommonly pleasing. The pieces produced and the actors in those pieces are of similar merit ... his daughter ... both as an author and an actress, evinces remarkable ability. In the burletta of The Old Oak Chest ... she is seen to great advantage in each of these capacities. The pantomime is far more laughable than either of those at the regular theatres. The Clown of Jones is not surpassed in drollery even by Grimaldi's (February 1817, pp. 31-32).

The twenty works attributed to Jane Scott certainly do attest to her skill as a dramatic author.

The Theatrical Inquisitor (December 1816) was as fulsome in its praise as the British Stage:

If we speak of this theatre, it must be in terms of unqualified approbation. Everything is conducted with so much preciosity and care that we are lost in astonishment at their varied excellence. Those who wish a treat will do well to be of the party to Madelon's Dinner. The Clown of Young Jones furnishes an excellent dessert (p. 445).

In addition to the pieces, there were some lively interludes throughout the season, including a splendid whistler, a gymnast with remarkably strong teeth, and two highly spirited monkeys: Signora Jackini, the female, walking with a balance pole on the tight rope; and Signor Jacki, the male, performing on the slack rope. The bills indicate the popularity of such divertissements. For example, on 21 November 1816, Whackham and Windham; or, The Wrangling Lawyers included whistling, which the bill refers to as "performing with the mouth, without the aid of machinery or trickery, the most favorite airs, with appropriate cadences, equal to the finest execution, and after the manner of the voice flute." The virtuosity of the "Shropshire Whistler" was so admired that a later bill proclaims: "At the particular desire of the numerous frequenters of this theatre, the undernamed very famous burletta will be performed as an afterpiece during the week." This meant, of course, that the whistler would be heard again--and again. The monkeys, brought from the Ruggiere in Paris, were added to the 13 January 1817, performance of The Enchanted Island; or, Love Among the Roses. Later, on 17 March 1817, entertainment included James "Young" Jones playing the violin at the top of two ladders, singing a comic song, and dancing in "real wooden shoes." In addition, Garthwaite, a gymnast, drew himself up to the top of the theatre by his teeth.

On January 7 1817, in British Stage says "Mr. J. Jones, of the Sans Pareil, whilst fighting in the performance of The Old Oak Chest, a few evenings ago, accidently broke his sword, a piece of it flew into the pit, and wounded a lady on the head."

The Strand Theatre, The Sans Pareil, was a successful financial enterprise as noted in British Stage, February 1817: "We imagine the proprietor must be rapidly accumulating a fortune. His success is almost wholly to be attributed to the versatile talents of his daughter, who both as an author and actress evinces remarkable ability."

The season closed on 29 March 1817, with The Crown of Roses, Mary, the Maid of the Inn; or, The Bough of Yew, and Camilla the Amazon; or, The Mountain Robber.

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