The Late Victorian Theatre: As Reflected in 'The Theatre,' 1878-1897
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1955 The Late Victorian Theatre: as Reflected in 'The Theatre,' 1878-1897. Helene Harlin Wong Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Wong, Helene Harlin, "The Late Victorian Theatre: as Reflected in 'The Theatre,' 1878-1897." (1955). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 136. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/136 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LATE VICTORIAN THEATRE AS RBFLBCTED IN THE THEATRE, 1878-1897 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for. the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech by Helene HarLln Wong B.A., Stanford University, 1942 M.A., Stanford U niversity, 1947 August, 1955 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer wishes to express her heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Claude L. Shaver for his encouragement and guidance throughout her studies at Louisiana State University. She also wishes to express her appreciation to Dr. Claude Wise, Dr. Giles Gray, Dr. Waldo Braden, Dr. Nathaniel Caffee, and Miss Edith Dabney for th e ir valued advice and w illing co operation throughout the progress of this study. Special thanks are due to Dr. Clinton Bradford for his contribution to the present investigation. 11 TABLB OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENT ......................................................................................... i i ABSTRACT......................................................................................................... iv INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 Chapter I . HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION......................................................... 5 The F irs t Years under Hawkins: August, 1878, to December, 1879 ............................................................. 5 •'Captain” Clement Scott Assumes "Command": January, 1880, to December, 1889 14 Capes and Egllngton Take Over: January, 1890, to June, 1893 ..................................................................... 37 The Last Years under Bright and Egllngton: July, 1893, to December, 1897 ........................................ 41 I I . FOUR MAJOR THEMES RBLATED TO THE THEATRE ....... 46 The Audience ............................................................................. 46 A National Theatre ................................................................. 71 A Dramatic Academy ................................................................. 80 Concerning the Dramatists ................................................. 90 Minor Them es............................................................................. 105 I I I . THE STAGE AND FOUR SOCIAL FORCES.......................................... 108 The C hu rch ........................................................ 108 Government Censorship ......................................................... 120 The P r e s s ................................................................................. 129 S o c i e t y ...................................................................................... 152 IV. IBSEN AND THE NEW DRAMA........................................................ 167 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 212 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................. 217 AUTOBIOGRAPHY........................................................ 220 i l l ABSTRACT The Theatre magazine, the most highly regarded British dramatic periodical of its time, flourished as a monthly Journal from August, 1878, through December, 1897. Despite changes in editorship, the periodical's primary emphasis was consistently upon the varied aspects of the British theatre: the drama, criticism, personalities, history, the audience, and management. Papers contributed to the magazine by the most prominent actors, critics, managers, and other dramatic author ities gave it unusual substance and prestige. Taken as a whole, The Theatre provides a highly illuminating historical picture of the numerous facets of the late Victorian theatre, a period of great significance in British dramatic history. This study is devoted to a descriptive analysis of certain major aspects of the late Victorian theatre as reported in The Theatre from July, 1878, through December, 1897. The thirty-nine volumes of the maga zine have furnished the primary source of material, with certain supple mentary sources utilized as required. The first chapter gives a kaleidoscopic picture of the magazine as a whole, with a description of its salient features as treated by each of its editors. The second chapter consists of a descriptive analysis of four major themes in the periodical which concerned the th e a tre I ts e lf . These are: the make-up and conduct of the audience; the merits of a proposed subsidised theatre; the worth of a proposed dramatic academy; certain problems in playwritlng. Similarly, the iv third chapter comprises a descriptive analysis of the relationships of the Stage and four potent social forces: The Church; Government Censor ship; the Press as represented by the dramatic critics; and Society. The fourth chapter consists of a critical examen of the advent of Henrik Ibsen's plays upon the British stage and their subsequent far- reaching effects. The Theatre witnessed numerous changes In the development of the stage. Among those noted were changes in the composition and attitudes of audiences, attributable in part to a decrease In the prejudice toward the acted drama. Pressing problems involving theatre patrons centered about the pit, theatre etiquette, and the issuing of passes. Also ob served were the Increasingly friendly relations between the Stage and the Church, and between the Stage and Society. The most momentous change of all, however, was the emergence of the British drama of thesis, given Its greatest impetus by the realism of the social dramas of Henrik Ibsen. Major controversies during the period covered by the magazine centered about dramatic writing, criticism, government censorship, a proposed subsidised theatre, and a proposed dramatic academy. The merits and demerits of the Issues raised In the course of the debates on these subjects were faithfully chronicled in The Theatre. The Theatre, therefore, Is valuable to the present-day dramatic student because It Is an accurate mirror of the late Victorian stage In all of Its aspects. v INTRODUCTION Robert W. Lowe, a well known dramatic authority, writing In 1888, commented on The Theatre magazine as follows: This Is one of the most valuable of dramatic records. Giving, as It does, the full cast, date of production, etc. of every play of any Importance, and giving also admirable portraits of actors, authors, and critics, it Is In Itself a complete history of the contemporary stage and will be, to coming generations, a work of priceless value. Sets are, even now, scarce, and bring high p rice s.* Walter Graham, In his monumental survey of English literary periodicals, singled out The Theatre for specific comment: Among the legion of theatrical periodicals in the latter half of the century, The Theatre, a [sic] Monthly Review and Magazine (1877-1897) Is distinguished not only by Its longer life but also by the scope of Its design. In the 'eighties and 'nineties, The Theatre was unquestionably a periodical of dominating prestige and influence. In fact, not one among those which have flourished since seems to command quite the same respect from readers or support from the great actors of the age. The Theatre was founded in January, 1877, as a "weekly critical review," and continued as a weekly until July, 1878. Beginning with August, 1878, however, It became a monthly with the subtitle "A Monthly Review and Magazine." In Its twenty years of existence the editorship of the magazine changed hands from time to time. Yet its primary ^Robert W. Lowe, A Bibliographical Account of English Theatrical Literature (London: John C. Nimino, 1888), p. 333. ^Walter Graham, English Literary Periodicals (New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1930), pp. 354-355. 1 2 emphasis was consistently upon the varied aspects of the theatre: the drama, criticism, personalities, history, the audience,and manage ment. As Graham suggested, articles on such subjects contributed by the prominent actors, managers, critics, and theatrical historians of the day gave this magazine ”an unusual substance.” Taken as a whole, the contents of The Theatre give the reader of today a highly illumi nating historical picture of the numerous facets of the late Victorian th e a tre . From January, 1880, to June, 1893, Inclusive, the scope of the periodical was enlarged to encompass not only the drama, but also the fine arts and music. Consonant with this change, the subtitle during those years was ”A Monthly Review of the Drama, Music, and the Fine Arts.” Although The Theatre *s coverage of music and the fine arts