THEATRICAL MEMORIES.
In looking through a trunk of old letters and other odds and ends the
other day, I came across what might be considered of some interest to
some of our pioneers in the sixties. The find consisted of six
playbills, or, as they could very well be considered, theatrical
posters, from the size; but they were such as were then given to
people as they passed the doorkeeper into the old Victoria Theatre on
Government Street. They measure two feet long by ten inches wide, and
are like posters alongside those now used. These plays were produced
in the times of Governors Douglas and Seymour, and were under their
distinguished patronage.
In those days very few theatrical companies visited Victoria, except
at irregular intervals, so that theatre-goers had to rely, to a great
extent, on the productions of the Victoria Amateur Dramatic Club to
fill up the intervals. At this date there were many well-educated and
professional men here who had come from the Old Country to get rich
in a short time; and, thinking the mines were close to this city,
many of these joined the club. Charles Clarke was a prominent member,
also W. M. Anderson, C. B. Tenniel, together with many of our young
business men, viz., Arthur Keast, the brewer; Lumley Franklin, the
auctioneer; S. Farwell, the civil engineer; H. C. Courtney, the
barrister; H. Rushton and Joseph Barnett, of one of the banks;
Ben Griffin, mine host of the Boomerang; Godfrey Brown, of Janion,
Green & Rhodes; W. J. Callingham, of McCutcheon & Callingham, drapers
(the latter, by the bye, was a most clever low comedian); Plummer,
the auctioneer; and last, though not least, Alex. Phillips, of
soda water fame. These names will all be familiar to old pioneers.
As female talent was scarce, or they were loth to take part in
theatricals, the other sex had to be enlisted, and I shall not forget
the meeting at the Boomerang (our meeting-place) when this difficulty
was met by the suggestion that your humble servant should take
the part of "Emily Trevor" in "Boots at the Swan." I protested my
inability, but was overruled. Not yet having occasion to use a razor,
and being youthful, it was decided that I should try my hand at
female impersonation, under the "stage name" of "Helen Fawcet." The
result of the experiment was that I subsequently took the parts of
"Julia Jenkins" in "Who Stole the Pocket-book?" and "Mary Madden" in
"Henry Dunbar." This last character was a rather more difficult one
than the others, and although I was perfect in my part, I was
reported in the next morning's _Colonist_ by "Leigh Harnett" as
looking very sweet, etc., but "as not speaking up," which, of course,
was a serious defect. This criticism was a damper on my theatrical
aspirations in female parts, for I returned to the commonplace parts
of a poacher, a brigand and a footman. The performances were
generally given for some charity, such as the Orphans of St. Ann, the
fire department, and so forth, and were "under" the distinguished
patronage of Admiral Hastings and officers of H.M.S. _Reindeer_, and
officers of the fleet often helped us out. I see by the bills that
the admission was $1.50 reserved seats, $1.00 unreserved, and 50
cents "pit," with $10 for a box. "Performance to commence promptly
at 7.30." The orchestra was composed, with others, of Digby Palmer,
F. S. Bushell, Gunther and Roberts, with, I think, Bandmaster Haynes.
All our performances were given under the direction of R. G. Marsh,
a standard theatrical manager, who, with his wife, adopted daughter,
"Jenny Arnot," his son and Miss Yeoman, was a great help to us. In
fact without their assistance we could not have produced plays with
female characters. Not to make this too long, I will wind up by
giving what I can remember of a piece called "The Merchant of Venice
Preserved," by a local poet. It was full of local hits, which only
those who were acquainted with politics and the questions of the day
at that time will understand:
"This shall Inform Bassanio that I'm done Brown,
My chance is up, my ship, alas! gone down.
The vessel on her homeward way, sir,
Laden with the rich products of the Fraser (river)--
The famed sal-lals for making jams,
Monster sturgeon, cranberries and clams--
Bumped on the sands and so a wreck became;
Captain, as usual, 'not at all to blame.'
The people here say just as they like,
And lay the blame on 'Titcombe' or on 'Pike.'
For me, no sympathy I get; to them 'tis fun;
Alas for me, I'm 'Capitally' done;
Then those brick stores, which I fondly thought
For bonded warehouses would soon be sought;
Bring 'Nary red,' no revenue they raise;
No ships arriving, no one duty pays;
From Sorrow's page I've learned all man can know,
For 'Cochrane's' just sold off my grand pi-an-o;
So if with means to aid me you're invested,
Haste, for the Jews won't rest till I'm arrested.
"Your loving friend,
"_Antonio._"
The evening of my first appearance in female character, I was dressed
at home, and escorted down town with a lady on each side of me, and I
can remember how hard it was for them to keep their countenance, for
several times I thought I was discovered ere we reached the theatre.
We all walked to and from the theatre in those days--there were not
half a dozen hacks in Victoria.
[Illustration: Government St. with Theatre Royal.]
The photo shows old "Theatre Royal" at the time of which I write,
viz., 1866 to 1868, and in which all the theatricals were produced in
these early days; although there was a sort of theatre used for
nigger minstrel performances and concert hall business. This was
situated under Goodacre's butcher shop. The principal actor and negro
delineator was "Tom Lafont," whose equal I have not seen since as an
imitator of negro comicalities and as a bird whistler. He will be
well remembered by old-timers. The Theatre Royal was situated on
Government Street, one door from the corner of Bastion, as will be
seen in the picture. This corner was first occupied by Doctor Davie,
sr., then by a Doctor Dickson, when first I remember it. He died
about a year ago in Portland, Oregon, just after a visit to this
city. The theatre was, I think, composed of two of the big barns in
the fort, which being connected together, made one long building,
reaching to Langley Street. There was a saloon or restaurant kept
by Sam Militich on the one side of the front entrance, and Newbury's
saddlery shop on the other. The upper front of the theatre was used
as a photograph gallery, and was occupied, among others, by a Mr.
Gentile and J. Craig. A showcase of photos, in a small annex, which
was connected with the gallery above, may be seen with a magnifying
glass.
Charles Keen and Mrs. Keen produced several of Shakespeare's plays
here in 1864, and I went with my father to see "Macbeth." We had
seats in the pit, or orchestra chairs, as now known. Reserved tickets
were three dollars, and although this was thought to be a famine
price, the opportunity of hearing such celebrated people as the Keens
was not to be resisted, so the house was packed at each performance.
Charles Wheatley, considered a fine comedian, produced the "Colleen
Bawn," or the "Brides of Garry Owen." The play made a lasting
impression on me, as the finest comedy I had ever seen. It may be
that Mr. Wheatley's fine personation of Danny Mann, the leading part,
made me think so, but it was a fact nevertheless.
Madame Anna Bishop, whom Mr. Higgins has told us about in one of his
interesting stories, delighted many audiences in "Old Theatre Royal."
I can also remember the Reverend Morley Puncheon, who was a
celebrated Methodist preacher, and chairman of the home church in
England. He gave readings from celebrated authors. During one of
these readings, and while he was reciting from Macaulay's "Lays of
Ancient Rome," the fire bell rang, and in less time than five minutes
there was hardly a man left of his audience. He was at first struck
dumb with surprise, then offended. That such an ordinary thing, as it
seemed to him, should have stopped his lecture! But it was
explained to him how that fires were put out by the citizens
generally; that it was a matter of much moment to them; that it may
have been the home of any of them; also that many of the audience
were members of a fire company, and were liable to be fined for
non-attendance, although their services were given free. This
satisfied him, and he went on with the reading. Theatre Royal served
Victoria until the building of Theatre Victoria.
[Illustration: Corner of Government and Yates streets.]