"The stage of Covent Garden Theatre is seen from the right with a small part of the pit in the left foreground; the boxes and galleries adjoining the stage form the background on the left. The pittites are standing and blow trumpets, spring rattles, ring bells, and shout. Those in the crowded boxes behave in the same way; with one exception all are men. Two men occupy each of the two boxes over the stage-door; they watch passively. The musicians' seats are empty, but candles burn beside their open music-books, and one of the orchestra stands facing the audience, threatening them with fist and baton. On the stage three men stand together addressing the audience. The man in the centre holds out a paper: 'Riot Act'; he says: "We shall Read the riot act". Behind them stands Kemble wearing a tail-coat and white trousers, appealing to the audience with his hands meekly together as if in prayer. Large notices and placards hang from the galleries and boxes: 'Old Prices' [five times]; 'Harris will but Kemble won,t'; 'No Kembles No more insults'; 'Kemble remember the Dublin Tin Man'; 'No Foreign Sofas'; 'Iohn Bull against Iohn Kemble'; 'No Catalani'; 'Old Prices' [three times]; 'No Italian Private Boxes'; '£6000 for Caterwauling'; 'Catalani', below a print of a cat dressed as a woman, and singing 'Me Yo' from a music-book; 'No Catalani!! Mountain-- Billington, and Dickons for ever'; 'Ol Price for ever No caterwauling'; 'Old Prices No Catalani'; a gigantic placard: 'Statement-- £ Subscribed -- £80-000 Fire Office -- 50-000 Old Materials -- 25-000 155-000 New Theatre ---- 150-000 Managers of it ---- 5-000' Held up by a 'John Bull' in the pit who blows a trumpet: 'No Catalani No Pigeon Holes Old Prices No Private Boxes'. A man shouts from a box: "Off Off Off Off"; he springs a rattle."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Isaac and George Cruikshank in the British Museum catalogue., Date of publication from British Museum catalogue., and Matted to 47 x 54 cm, with a token for a box seat, Prince's side (BPS), New Theatre Covent Garden 1809.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823., Nares, John, 1754-1816., Billington, Elizabeth, 1765-1818., Catalani, Angelica, 1780-1849., Dickons, Maria, approximately 1774-1833., Harris, Thomas, -1820., Reed, James, active 1808., Mountain, Rosoman, approximately 1768-1841., and Covent Garden Theatre,
Subject (Topic):
Interiors, Stages (Platforms), Actors, Orchestras, Theater audiences, Theaters, and 1809
An engraved ticket to the retirement dinner for John Philip Kemble. At the top, a portrait of Kemble's head, irradiated. The text is surrounded by garlands; at the base a banner with a quote from Hamlet "The observed, all observers" woven through a lyre, a mask above
Alternative Title:
Ticket to farewell dinner for John Philip Kemble
Description:
Title from engraved text., Signed: Secretaries., "Not transferable"-- Engraved above mask., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., The farewell dinner was held 27 June 1817 at the Freemasons' Tavern. See the Dictionary of National Biography., and Mounted to sheet 32 x 26 cm with watermark "1821".
Title from item., Printmaker and publication date from British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Shakespeare's Hamlet., and Mounted to 42 x 31 cm.
Title from item., Place and date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Three lines of caption following title: Macb: Tell me thou unknown power, 1st Witch: He knowes thy thought hear his speech but say thou nought., Temporary local subject terms: Shakespeare's Macbeth., and Mounted to 32 x 35 cm.
Portbury, E. J., approximately 1795-1885, printmaker
Published / Created:
August 1817.
Call Number:
Portraits K31 no. 4
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"Medal of John Philip Kemble; portrait profile head on recto at top, inscription on verso in the centre lettered: "Thou last of all the Romans fare thee well", rim below lettered: "Retired from the stage 23d. June 1817."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image.
Publisher:
Published by John Miller, Bow Street, Covent Garden
Illustration at the top of the letterpress broadside. "Mrs. Siddons leans back in her chair, majestically resentful. She addresses Harris, [Grego suggests Topham, whom he does not resemble, and who was living in Yorkshire.] patentee and manager of Covent Garden, who stands before her (l.), hat in hand. Between them stands the much taller J. P. Kemble, his left hand on his sister's shoulder. Mrs. Siddons leans one elbow on a table (r.) on which are three books: 'Salary Benifi[ts]', 'The Right of Woman', 'Duty of Man', and a bust of (?) herself, looking reproachfully towards the group. On the wall (r.) is part of a print: 'Propagation of a Lye', six figures from Bunbury's well-known plate, BMSat 7230 (1787). The text is a debate (printed in full by Grego): Mrs. Siddons complains to Harris of neglect on account of 'your Blind Bargain and Infant Roscius'. Harris, 'First Monarch', answers: 'if John Bull chooses to feed on slink calf, instead of substantial roast beef, yet consents to pay for the roast it is not for me to complain. . . . you have had your day. . . .' He reminds her of her good salary. Kemble, 'Second Monarch', supports him, and ends: 'Public taste ... is now in second childishness; and when mere oblivion takes place, then you shall make a sally, and should the Town require a filip [Philip] I will be at your elbow.'"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Child's play defended by theatrical monarchs
Description:
Caption title in letterpress below etching., Printmaker and date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Watermark: E & C T Russell 1797.
Publisher:
Printed by D.N. Shury, Berwick Street, for Ackermann, 101 Strand
Subject (Name):
Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823 and Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831
Title from caption below image., Text above image: V. ; King Lear ; Sc. [...?]., and Description based on imperfect impression; sheet trimmed within plate mark with partial loss of statements of responsibility and text above image.
Publisher:
Published by J. Roach, Russell Court, Drury Lane
Subject (Name):
Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823, and Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831,
