The room which had been converted into a theater must have been a
very capacious one, as it was arranged with pit and gallery, and
afterward boxes were added. The price of admission to the boxes was
eight shillings, to the pit five shillings, and to the gallery three
shillings. The exact capacity of this theater is known from the
following circumstances: Upon the occasion of Mr. Kean’s benefit,
who was the leading tragedian, he was honored by a crowded house in
his favorite part of _Richard III._, and great complaint having
been made that more tickets had been sold than the house could hold,
Kean published a card in the “Post Boy,” which was accompanied by a
certificate of Parker, the publisher, to the effect that he had printed
in all 161 pit tickets, 10 box, and 121 gallery tickets, declaring
that as great a number had been in the house before. Kean in his
card informs the public that it had been determined not to receive
any money at the door, but that it was impossible to carry out that
intention without giving great offense, and that the purchasers of
tickets who had come after the house was filled had had their money
returned. It may be inferred from this circumstance that the players
found “satisfactory encouragement.” “Richard III.” appears to have
been a favorite piece, and on March 12, 1750, it was announced that
it would be acted for the last time, together with the farce of “The
Beau in the Suds,” and that on the following Saturday Dryden’s play
of “The Spanish Friar” would be represented. They continued to play
on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from the 5th of March to the 30th
of April, 1750, when the season closed, and that the experiment was
successful may be inferred from the fact that they opened the theater
again for another season on the 30th of December, 1750, and continued
to play three times a week until the 17th of June, 1751, closing with a
succession of benefits, when the company went to Virginia.
[Decorative Illustration]