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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 i I ■■ I 74-3137 COGGIN, Frederick Marsh, 1933- THE PANTCMBŒS OF AUGUSTUS HARRIS: DRURY LANE 1879-1895. The Ohio State Ihiiversity, Ph.D., 1973 Theater University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan C o p y rig h t Frederick Marsh Coggin 1973 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE PANTOMIMES OF AUGUSTUS HARRISi DRURY LANE 1879 - 1895 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The.Ohio State University By Frederick Marsh Coggin, 3.A ., M.F.A. * * * * * The Ohio State University 1973 Reading Committee: Approved by John C. Morrow Roy H. Bowen Alan L. Woods ^ A d v ise r ^Department of Theatre ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Dr, Alan L, Woods, of the Department of Theatre of The Ohio State University for his supervision of this study. In addition, the writer would like to thank the members of the reading committee. Dr, John C, Morrow and Dr. Roy K, Brown, of the Department of Theatre for their patience and s u p p o r t. 1 1 VITA A p r il 21, 1 9 3 3 ............................... Born - Salisbury, North Carolina 1 9 5 9.........................................................Bachelor of Arts, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Caro­ l i n a . 1 9 5 9 -1 9 6 2......................................... Teacher of English and American History, West Rowan High School, Salisbury, North Carolina 1 9 6 2 -1 9 6 4 ......................................... Master of Fine Arts, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 1 9 6 4 -1 9 6 7......................................... Instructor, Palm Beach Junior College, Lake Worth, Florida 1 9 6 7 -1 9 6 9 Teaching Associate, Department of Theatre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 1 9 6 9 -1 9 7 2......................................... Academic Adviser, University College, The Ohio State Univer­ sity, Columbus, Ohio 1 9 7 2 -1 9 7 3 , .................................... Program Coordinator, University College, The Ohio State Univer­ sity, Columbus, Ohio FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Theatre History Studies in Film History, Production and Criticism. Studies in General Theatre Production. I l l TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................. i i VITA ........................................................................................................... i i i INTRODUCTION.......................................................................... 1 C h ap ter I . THE HISTORY OF THE PANTOMIME BEFORE HARRIS............................................................................................. 8 I I . WHO WAS AUGUSTUS HARRIS AND WHY WAS HE IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY OF THE THEATRE?.............................................................................................18 Introduction......................................................................... 18 Biography to ^879 - first year at D rury L a n e...................................................................................19 Harris as a Producer...............................................................20 Biography Concluded........................................ • . • 31 I n f l u e n c e s............................................. 33 I I I . HOW THE SCRIPTS WERE WRITTEN...............................................35 Pre-Harris Scripts, I86O-I878 .............................. 37 O p e n i n g........................................................................................38 Structure ..... 42 Characterizations ................................... 70 S t y l e ........................................................................................77 Harlequinade......................... 80 Harris Scripts, 1879-1895 .... 85 O pening ..... 86 S t r u c t u r e..............................................................................90 Characterizations ........... 123 S t y l e ................................................................................. 126 Harlequinade...........................................................................128 IV Table of Contents (Continued) Page IV. HOV/ THE SCRIPTS WERE PERFORîvîED................................. I 3 I Preparation Period. ......................................... 133 The Company .............................. I 38 Technical Elements. ........... 1^5 Processions ..... ................................. ... 150 Emphasis on Spectacle .............................................. 158 Costs and Lengths of R uns.................................... 168 V. SUraiARY AND CONCLUSIONS............................... 174 S um m ary.................................................................. 1?4 Conclusions........................................................................ 181 APPENDIX A................................................................................................................... 186 B................................................................................................................... 188 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................ 193 INTRODUCTION The English pantomime is curious not only because the form appears to be indigenous to only one country but also because the pantomime as litera- ' ture—or even as light entertaining reading—has little to recommend it. Its characters are car­ tooned stereotypes; its political and social criticisms are usually vapid; its stories are trite satires on familiar fairy tales or nursery fables. Yet, these limitations are precisely what makes the English pantomime an intriguing subject for investigation by a student of the theatre. The appeals of pantomime are singularly theatrical. Only through the ingenuity and the talent of the scene designer, the stage machinist, the comic performer, and the theatrical director can this type of entertainment be made attractive ; the English pantomime has no life except in the t h e a t r e .1 This quotation from another study of the pantomime gives a partial answer to the inevitable question of why one would attempt this investigation at all. Another reason lies in the value of looking into a theatrical phenomenon which has survived on the stages of a major western theatrical center, England, for over two hundred years. The form of the pantomime has been altered in that span of time, as v/e shall see in the history which follows; but it has survived and remains a popular enter­ tainment of the English common people. It is true that John G. Morrow, "The Staging of Pantomime at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1828-1860" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University, I9 6 3)» pp. 1 -2 . 1 the present day productions are more a Christmas tradition than the great popular entertainments they once were, but the productions still play to crowded houses each year in London and other English cities. Theatre scholars cannot afford to ignore such a living link with the past. Pantomime is an appropriate choice for study because it is an easily isolated and identifiable subject. It has held the stage for over two centuries, so it has continuity. It has always relied on strictly theatrical elements for its success, so by studying these elements in each era, we can trace their development. There have been several studies done which deal with 2 the English pantomimes, but none have concentrated on the history after I860. This earlier work has provided the writer with an excellent