DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1213#0302
218 TALLIs's ILLUSTRATED LONDON J
Within a few hundred yards of this locality is St.
James's Theatre, in King-street, St. James's-square, con-
structed by Mr. Beazley, the architect, for Mr. Braham,
the great singer, and opened in December, 1835. The
speculation proved unfortunate, so far as regarded Mr.
Braham, and the theatre is now occupied, for a consider-
able portion of the year, by a French company of un-
doubted talent, and numbering among its members the
accomplished Rachel.
Brury-lane Theatre, so named from the neighbourhood
in which it is placed, is one of the most ancient dramatic
establishments in London. The earliest theatre in Drnry-
lane dates so far back as the time of Shakspere. It was
a cockpit, and hoisting a Phcenix for a sign, it was some-
times called the Phcenix Theatre, and is said to have been
opposite the Castle Tavern, in Brury-lane. The memory
of this primitive theatre is preserved in the names of two
gloomy outlets, Cockpit-alley, in Great Wyld-street, and
Phcenix-alley, conducting from Hart-street into Long-
acre. In 1617 the Phcenix theatre was pulled down by a
mob, and all the stage properties destroyed. It was rebuilt,
and in the reign of James I. the performers were called
the queen's servants till the decease of Anne of Denmark,
when they were denominated Lady Elizabeth's servants,
in compliment to the Princess Elizabeth, afterwards
Queen of Bohemia. In 1625, when the union of Charles
I. with Henrietta Maria took place, they again rejoiced
in the appellation of the queen's servants. Massinger's
fine play, "A New Way to Pay Old Debts," was first
played here in 1633; Shirley's comedy of the "Wedding"
having been produced four years previously. The doors
of the playhouse were closed during the ascendancy of the
Puritans, and "it was not till 1658," says Mr. Jesse,
"that the theatre was reopened by Sir William Davenant,
" with such pieces, consisting chiefly of declamation and
music as were calculated to suit the yielding, but still fas-
tidious prudery of the age." Soon after the accession of
Charles II. a more commodious playhouse was built on
Within a few hundred yards of this locality is St.
James's Theatre, in King-street, St. James's-square, con-
structed by Mr. Beazley, the architect, for Mr. Braham,
the great singer, and opened in December, 1835. The
speculation proved unfortunate, so far as regarded Mr.
Braham, and the theatre is now occupied, for a consider-
able portion of the year, by a French company of un-
doubted talent, and numbering among its members the
accomplished Rachel.
Brury-lane Theatre, so named from the neighbourhood
in which it is placed, is one of the most ancient dramatic
establishments in London. The earliest theatre in Drnry-
lane dates so far back as the time of Shakspere. It was
a cockpit, and hoisting a Phcenix for a sign, it was some-
times called the Phcenix Theatre, and is said to have been
opposite the Castle Tavern, in Brury-lane. The memory
of this primitive theatre is preserved in the names of two
gloomy outlets, Cockpit-alley, in Great Wyld-street, and
Phcenix-alley, conducting from Hart-street into Long-
acre. In 1617 the Phcenix theatre was pulled down by a
mob, and all the stage properties destroyed. It was rebuilt,
and in the reign of James I. the performers were called
the queen's servants till the decease of Anne of Denmark,
when they were denominated Lady Elizabeth's servants,
in compliment to the Princess Elizabeth, afterwards
Queen of Bohemia. In 1625, when the union of Charles
I. with Henrietta Maria took place, they again rejoiced
in the appellation of the queen's servants. Massinger's
fine play, "A New Way to Pay Old Debts," was first
played here in 1633; Shirley's comedy of the "Wedding"
having been produced four years previously. The doors
of the playhouse were closed during the ascendancy of the
Puritans, and "it was not till 1658," says Mr. Jesse,
"that the theatre was reopened by Sir William Davenant,
" with such pieces, consisting chiefly of declamation and
music as were calculated to suit the yielding, but still fas-
tidious prudery of the age." Soon after the accession of
Charles II. a more commodious playhouse was built on