DOI issue:
Punch's essence of parliament
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16615#0072
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
“ Well, Jack! Here’s good news erom Home. We’re to have a Medal.”
“That’s very kind. Maybe one of these days we’ll have a Coat to stick it on?”
THE MANAGER IN DISTRESS.
The Manager of a certain Theatre Royal has lately been considerably
embarrassed by a division in the Company, which has led to the
throwing up of their parts by several of the principal characters in the
grand annual spectacle, which is got up at an enormous expense for the
amusement of the public.
The Company had for some time been working rather uncomfortably
together, when Mr. John Fussell, the “low man” of the establish-
ment, who from the constant opportunity of doing the leading business
in his line had become a favourite, wrote to the Stage-Manager, saying,
ihat in consequence of a party having been made up for the purpose of
“damning” a farce, in which he, Fussell, would have to take a part,
he should throw up his situation and retire from the company. The
Stage-Manager called the company together, when it was determined to
risk the intended opposition, and the farce was played. The character
of Fussell being “ read ” by another performer, Fussell himself did
all he could to assist the opposition in an indirect "way, by declaring he
had always objected to the distribution of the parts, and the whole
piece was such a dead failure, that the Stage-Manager on the next
morning resigned his functions.
A. new Manager was now to be found, or rather to be looked for, and
Mr. Darby, who had hitherto represented the “country boys,” a line
of business that has become nearly extinct, was asked to undertake the
office. Darby immediately proceeded to the light comedy man of the
concern—the bustling and energetic Pomicestone, who having the
Knack of smoothing over any difficulties, aud making almost auything
go down with the public, is perhaps the most popular of “Her
Majesty’s servants ”—as the actors are allowed to call themselves.
Pomicestone in his usual off-hand and good-humoured way, expressed
himself ready to act anything or everything so as the part happened to I
be the principal one in the piece, but as Darby would probably be
insisting on revivals of old worn out rubbish, for the sake of the j
“ country boys,” there would be no chance of there being anything to i
suit him, Pomicestone, in the pieces produced under a Darby
management.
This scheme having failed, the “low man” was invited to accept the
situation of Manager, and as he is supposed to believe that he can act j
the principal part in everything, and was once accused of wishing to de
the nautical business, nobody was surprised at his undertaking to get
a company together, though everybody was astonished at his being
requested to do so. On his visiting two or three of his brother actors,
he soon found that no one would join his company, and even the
Treasurer refused to have anything to do with a concern which he knew
would be a failure.
In this emergency the popular Pomicestone, who, though he has
been many years on the stage, has still more dash and energy about
him than some of the younger actors, was asked to assume the manage-
ment. He at once accepted the task, not without a knowledge of the
petty jealousies among the performers, but with a determination to do
without those who attached any absurd and unreasonable terms to the
offer of their services. It is supposed that his intentions are to go on
as well as he can to the end of the season with his present company,
aud to weed it of some of the second old men, who are all wanting to
do leading business, and to get rid of as many as he can of the mere
walking gentlemen.
The grand coup of the present season, upon which all the resources'
of the establishment will be employed, is the Grand Historical Drama
of the War with Russia, which is to replace the miserable and expensive
spectacle that has loug been presented to the public under the title of
the Siege of Sebastopol. Various minor novelties will be brought
forward, but there is no truth in the rumour that the manager will
endeavour to secure the well-known “ brass-band,” though it is
believed that they are always open to an engagement.
It is expected that the public will warmly patronise the new,
management; and if any attempt is made to disturb the perform-
ances by some of those who have been dismissed from the company,
or by any of their friends and adherents, it is to be hoped that the
authorities will know how to act with them. It is a common trick
for some unprincipled parties to get up a row in the house for the
purpose of raising a cry of “ Turn him out! ” but the Manager is
prepared to deal with this dirty manoeuvre in a mode in which he
will be supported by that British public on which he delights to
throw himself!
“ Well, Jack! Here’s good news erom Home. We’re to have a Medal.”
“That’s very kind. Maybe one of these days we’ll have a Coat to stick it on?”
THE MANAGER IN DISTRESS.
The Manager of a certain Theatre Royal has lately been considerably
embarrassed by a division in the Company, which has led to the
throwing up of their parts by several of the principal characters in the
grand annual spectacle, which is got up at an enormous expense for the
amusement of the public.
The Company had for some time been working rather uncomfortably
together, when Mr. John Fussell, the “low man” of the establish-
ment, who from the constant opportunity of doing the leading business
in his line had become a favourite, wrote to the Stage-Manager, saying,
ihat in consequence of a party having been made up for the purpose of
“damning” a farce, in which he, Fussell, would have to take a part,
he should throw up his situation and retire from the company. The
Stage-Manager called the company together, when it was determined to
risk the intended opposition, and the farce was played. The character
of Fussell being “ read ” by another performer, Fussell himself did
all he could to assist the opposition in an indirect "way, by declaring he
had always objected to the distribution of the parts, and the whole
piece was such a dead failure, that the Stage-Manager on the next
morning resigned his functions.
A. new Manager was now to be found, or rather to be looked for, and
Mr. Darby, who had hitherto represented the “country boys,” a line
of business that has become nearly extinct, was asked to undertake the
office. Darby immediately proceeded to the light comedy man of the
concern—the bustling and energetic Pomicestone, who having the
Knack of smoothing over any difficulties, aud making almost auything
go down with the public, is perhaps the most popular of “Her
Majesty’s servants ”—as the actors are allowed to call themselves.
Pomicestone in his usual off-hand and good-humoured way, expressed
himself ready to act anything or everything so as the part happened to I
be the principal one in the piece, but as Darby would probably be
insisting on revivals of old worn out rubbish, for the sake of the j
“ country boys,” there would be no chance of there being anything to i
suit him, Pomicestone, in the pieces produced under a Darby
management.
This scheme having failed, the “low man” was invited to accept the
situation of Manager, and as he is supposed to believe that he can act j
the principal part in everything, and was once accused of wishing to de
the nautical business, nobody was surprised at his undertaking to get
a company together, though everybody was astonished at his being
requested to do so. On his visiting two or three of his brother actors,
he soon found that no one would join his company, and even the
Treasurer refused to have anything to do with a concern which he knew
would be a failure.
In this emergency the popular Pomicestone, who, though he has
been many years on the stage, has still more dash and energy about
him than some of the younger actors, was asked to assume the manage-
ment. He at once accepted the task, not without a knowledge of the
petty jealousies among the performers, but with a determination to do
without those who attached any absurd and unreasonable terms to the
offer of their services. It is supposed that his intentions are to go on
as well as he can to the end of the season with his present company,
aud to weed it of some of the second old men, who are all wanting to
do leading business, and to get rid of as many as he can of the mere
walking gentlemen.
The grand coup of the present season, upon which all the resources'
of the establishment will be employed, is the Grand Historical Drama
of the War with Russia, which is to replace the miserable and expensive
spectacle that has loug been presented to the public under the title of
the Siege of Sebastopol. Various minor novelties will be brought
forward, but there is no truth in the rumour that the manager will
endeavour to secure the well-known “ brass-band,” though it is
believed that they are always open to an engagement.
It is expected that the public will warmly patronise the new,
management; and if any attempt is made to disturb the perform-
ances by some of those who have been dismissed from the company,
or by any of their friends and adherents, it is to be hoped that the
authorities will know how to act with them. It is a common trick
for some unprincipled parties to get up a row in the house for the
purpose of raising a cry of “ Turn him out! ” but the Manager is
prepared to deal with this dirty manoeuvre in a mode in which he
will be supported by that British public on which he delights to
throw himself!