Copyri Ght by P H I L I P Alan Macomber
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Copyri ght by Philip Alan Macomber 1959 THE ICONOGRAPHY OF LONDON THEATRE AUDITORIUM ARCHITECTURE, 1660-1900 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillm ent of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By P hilip Alan Macomber, B. A., n. A. The Ohio State University 1959 Approved by: Advi ser Department of Speech ACKNOWLEDGMENTS At this point in any study it is customary to acknowledge the moral and material assistance given by various individuals to an author. I, of course, am most grateful to my many friends who have helped make th is work possible. However, my deepest appreciation must go to The Ohio State University Theatre Collection which pointed out the potential or this study to me and then helped provide much of the pictorial evidence necessary for the realization of this project. Through the unique organizational concept of this Collection, the doors of the major libraries all over the world were opened to me, materials heretofore unavailable except to traveling scholars were placed at my disposal. This is more than just the mere accumulation of a few items on microfilm, this Theatre Collection represents an organized approach in a field of essentially disorganized material. The Ohio State University Theatre Collection could never have been without the understanding guidance of its Director, John H. McDowell. To Dr. McDowell, for the foresight and stamina necessary to the creation of The Ohio State University Theatre Collection, a word of thanks from a student. P h ilip A. Macomber Columbus, Ohio, 1959 I I TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION . ................................................................ ........ 1 i l . THE TENNIS COURT THEATRES, 1660 TO 1672 ......... 15 Proscenium and S ta g e ................................................................................... 15 P it ...... ......................................................................... 17 Tiers . ....................................................................... 18 Typical Theatre Reconstruction ............ 19 111. FIRST PURE THEATRICAL ARCHITECTURE, 1671 TO 1700 ..... 24 Proscenium . ..... 25 Pit..... ........................ ...... ... 26 Tiers ............... .................................. 26 Decoration ................. ......................... 28 Typical Theatre Reconstruction ............ 29 IV. THE ROUND AND FAN SHAPED THEATRES, 1700 TO 1770 ..... 32 Proscenium ................. 32 Pit.............................................................................. 34 Tiers..... ........ ...... ..... 35 Typical Reconstruction ................ 37 Round Theatrical Areas at the Formal Gardens ......................... 38 Typical Reconstruction ................ 39 V. THE U SHAPED THEATRES, 1770 TO 1790 .......... 47 Proscenium .............. ... 47 P i t .............................................................................. 50 Tiers 51 Typical Reconstruction ..... ............................. .... 54 VI. EQUESTRIAN AND VARIETY THEATRES, 1770 TO 1822 ...... 62 A s tle y 's Riding Academy, 1770-1780 .... 62 Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1772-1800 .......... 62 The Royal Grove, 1780-1787 . ................................... 64 The Royal Circus, 1782-1796 ........ ......................... 65 The Equestrian Theatre Becomes Legitimate .............................. 65 S adler's Wells Theatre, 1802-1822 ...... 67 A Typical Reconstruction ................................................. .... 68 I I I I V TABLE OF CONTENTS (contd,) Chapter Page V II. DESTRUCTION OF THE PIT, 1790 TO I 8 O8 ....... 74 Proscenium ................... 74 Pit ...................... 77 Boxes ..................... 79 Gal 1eri es ....................... 81 A Typical Reconstruction ....................... ..... 82 V III. OPERA HOUSE ARCHITECTURE, 1790 TO i860 ........................... 88 The Opera House, 1809 to 1840 89 The Opera House Tradition Continues,1840 to I860 . 91 A Typical Reconstruction , .................. ......... 93 IX. THE MAJOR THEATRES, 1809 TO 1845 ............................ 99 Proscenium ............ ......... 99 Pit ....... ........................................ ........ 102 Tier Boxes ... ............. 105 Galleries ............. .................. .... 107 A Typical Reconstruction ............... IO8 X. THE LITTLE^ THEATRES, 1830 TO 1840 . .......................... 120 XI. MUSIC HALLS, TAVERNS AND EXHIBITION HALLS, 1830 TO 1865 131 Music- Halls and Taverns ............... 131 A Typical Reconstruction ............... 135 The Exhibition Hall Theatres, 1840 to 1865 ...... 136 XII. THE MINOR THEATRES, 1840 to 1865 ............ 147 Proscenium .......................................................... 147 P it .................................... 150 Tiers .............. .......... 15 ^ A Typical Reconstruction ............... 155 XIII. XII 1. THE DOMINANT MUSIC HALL ........................... l62 Proscenium ........................... 163 P i t ........................................................................................................... 166 Tiers .......................... 167 A Typical Reconstruction ............... 170 XIV. THE THEATRE AT THE END OF THE CENTURY ......... 178 Proscenium ......................................................... 178 P it ......................... 179 Tiers ........................ 181 A Typical Reconstruction .... ........................... .... 183 TABLE OF CONTENTS (contd.) Chapter Page XV. TVG HUNDRED FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT........ l89 Proscenium .................................................... 189 Fore-Stage ........... .................................... 193 Pit ............. ............................................ 194 Tiers, o . 0 . o o . o . 198 V I LIST OF PLATES Plate Page 1. Gibbon's Tennis Court, Mere Street, 1660-1663 ..................................... 22 OSUTC Microfilm Number 36:9 New York Public Library Catalogue Number I 2. Theatre Royal (Drury Lane), 1663-1672 23 OSUTC Microfilm Number 1002:107 Harvard Theatre Collection Catalogue Number 1 3. Orange Theatre about 1832 ........................................................................... 23 Theatre Notebook Catalogue Number 2 4. Dorset Garden Theatre, 1671-1682 . ....................................................... 30 OUSTC Microfilm Number 1002:140 Harvard Theatre Collection Catalogue Number 3 5. Theatre Royal (Drury Lane), 1 6 / 4 ................................................................31 All Soul's College, Oxford Catalogue Number 4 6. Theatre Royal (Drury Lane), 1698 31 Musical Works of John WaIsh Catalogue Number 6 7. Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, cl 730 ................................... 4l Mander and Mitchenson Collection Catalogue Number 1 8. Covent Garden, 1732-1762 .................................................................. 42 OSUTC Microfilm Number 66 Library of Congress Catalogue Number 3 9. Plan of Covent Garden, 1732-1762 ....................................................... 42 OSUTC Microfilm Number 66 Library of Congress . Catalogue Number 2 VI I 10. HaymarkeL Opera House about 1763 .......................................................... 43 OSUTC Microfilm Number 66 Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2 11. Haymarket Opera House about 1763 ....................................................... 43 OSUTC Microfilm Number 66 Library of Congress Catalogue Number 1 12. Vauxhall Gardens, 1732-1759 . ................................................ 44 London County Council Catalogue Number 5 13. VauxhallMusic Room, 1732-1759 ................................................................. 44 London County Counci 1 Catalogue Number 6 14. Ranelagh Rotunda, 1742-1803 ................................................. .... 45 Besant’ s Survey of North London Catalogue Number 11 15. Vauxhall Theatre, 1837-1847 .... ..................................................... 45 OSUTC Microfilm Number 1002:364 Harvard Theatre Collection Catalogue Number 29 16. Vauxhall Outdoor Theatre, 1780-1793 ............................... .... 46 OSUTC Microfilm Number 1002:360 Harvard Theatre Collection Catalogue Number 13 17. King's Theatre, Haymarket Opera House, 1763-1782 ........................... 56 Archi tectural Revi ew Catalogue Number 4 18. L ittle Theatre Haymarket, 1777-1821 ................................................. 57 Archi tectural Review Bodelai n Library Catalogue Number 5 19. L ittle Theatre Haymarket, 1777-1821 .... ....................................... 57 OSUTC Microfilm Number 332:108 Folger Shakespeare Library Catalogue Number 6 20. Drury Lane, 1775-1783 . ...................... 58 Shakespeare to Sheridan Catalogue Number 13 VIII 2K Drury Lane, 1775-1783 58 Archi tectura 1 Rev i ew B ritish Museum Catalogue Number 17 22. Haymarket Opera House about 1782 . .■ ...................................................59 OSUTC Microfilm Number 130 Library of Congress Catalogue Number 8 23. Drury Lane, 1783-1791 . 59 OSUTC Microfilm Number 1002:104 Harvard Theatre Collection Catalogue Number 22 24. Covent Garden, about 1790 . ........................................................... 60 Saunders, A Treatise on Theatres Library of Congress Catalogue Number 9 25. Royalty Theatre about 1787 .................................. 61 Georgian Playhouse Enthoven Collection Catalogue Number 7 26. Royalty Theatre, 1794 .......... .................................... 61 OSUTC Microfilm Number 50:19 Library of Congress Catalogue Number 10 27 . Astley's Riding School, 1770-1780 ......................