University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies Legacy Theses 2000 Marie Wilton Bancroft: on courage and culture Riley, Tarra Lois Riley, T. L. (2000). Marie Wilton Bancroft: on courage and culture (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/11561 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/39810 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Marie Wilton Bancroft: On Courage and Culture by Tarra LOTS Riley A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FORTHE DEGREE OF MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA CALGARY, ALBERTA May, 2000 O Tarra LOIS Riley National Library Bibliotheque nationale 1+1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your fib Votre reference Our file Norre retdrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde me licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pennettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prgter, distibuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propried du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent Ctre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Abstract One of the many unexplored facets of the mutually-influential relationship between theatre practices and contemporary philosophy is the striking parallel between the philosophy established in Matthew Arnold's book Culture and Anarchy published in 1869 and the writings and careers of Marie Wilton Bancroft and Squire Bancroft. In particular, Arnold's definition of culture is illustrated in the ideals the Bancrofts upheld. According to Arnold, culture is the study of perfection; it is the harmonious relationship between beauty and intelligence - "Sweetness and Light." Culture "seeks to do away with classes; to make the best that has been thought and known in the world current everywhere." Arnold believes that all have the capacity to recognise and appreciate culture if merely shown examples, and that "Porro Onurn Esf Necessarium - to come to our best at all point~.~' The Bancrofts exemplified Arnold's philosophy several aspects of their theatre management. These include the location of the theatre itself, decoration and renovations chosen for the theatre, the general. improvement of theatre infrastructure, the repertoire, notably T.W. .Robertson's play Caste, the abolition of the star system, and the elevation of the social status of actors. Acknowledgements Thanks go to Nicole King with whom I grew, Pat Wenger from whom I have learned much, Susan Farmer the office guru, Cindy Murrell my librarian psychopomp, James Chiba for always being there, Penny Farfan who helped me rediscover my voice, and Laura Frizzell and Laura Pylypow whose editing assistance is only one of the positive things they've offered and given. Jevon Hills, your patience has been unsurpassed. Charleen Wilson, I thank the Goddess every day that I have been blessed with your friendship. Karolyn Harker, your love, intelligence, and encouragement have inspired many. I am grateful that I am one of the fortunate. Thanks also go to Jim Andrews whose support and confidence I have truly come to appreciate, and Bob Moore, who in his passing shall be sorely missed. Dan Barrett, you have given me such encouragement, assistance, friendship, and hope. I owe much to you. Special thanks go to Laura Pylypow and Chris Braun. You both know what you did. I couldn't have done any of it without you. Dedication To Sonia, without whom none of this would have been possible. Table of Contents .. Approval Page ......................................................................................................... ...II Abstract ..................... ...,...... ........................................................................... 111 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... iv Dedication ............................................................................................................ v Table of Contents......................... ..... ..............................................................vi CHAP~ERI .................................................... ... I Matthew Arnold 1822-1888.................................................................... 2 Marie Wilton Bancroft 1839- 192 1........................................................ 10 CHA~ER~............................................................................................................. 17 Theatre Milieu and Setting ....................................................................... 18 Transformation of Theatre ..................................... .... .............................. 20 Improvement of Environment ........................................................... 2 3 CHAFER3 .................. ...... ................................................................................. 3 5 Abolition of star system ........................................................................... 36 Acting Style ................................................................................................ 41 Repertoire ................................................................................................... 51 CHAP~ER4 .................. ...,.......................................................................................... 66 Elevation of the Social Stahrs of Actors .............................................. 6 7 Altruism and Charitable Works .............................................................. 73 CWER 5 ..................... , ... .... ............................................................................ 79 Did Wilton Bancrofi Achieve Greatness? .......................... .. ...............80 Appendix I : Plays most frequently performed ............................................ 84 Appendix 2: Productions exceeding 100 nights ............................................. 85 Appendix 3: Summary of Productions .......................................................... 87 Bibliography Chapter I Culture . an endeavour to come at reason and the will of God by means of reading, observing, and thinking. Matthew Arnold, Culture and Anarchy Matthew Arnold 1822-1888 Matthew Arnold, poet, literary, social, and religious critic, is incontrovertibly one of the leading architects of modern Western thought and criticism. His appointment as Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford in 1857 ensured the creation and dissemination of much of his criticism, as he was responsible for providing the University audience with a lecture each term. In doing so, many of the subjects of his criticism have remained in the foreground of modern thought and debate: Arnold has become an inescapable . presence in modern intellectual life. Indisputably, he has exercised an immense, perhaps decisive, influence over our whole way of talking about 'culture' and its role . He, more than any other single writer . endowed the role of the critic with the cultural centrality it now enjoys . (Collini, 205) It is this central role of Arnold's 'culture' and its meaning that will be explored in relation to the management of the Prince of Wales's Theatre. Matthew Arnold was the eldest son of Dr. Thomas and Mary Penrose Arnold. He began attending Rugby School at the age of six where his father was headmaster. Dr. Arnold, an obvious influence on Matthew, encouraged educational reforms, and fostered his students' awareness of social issues, morality, and the relationship between liberal studies and modern life. What developed was a school system that focused on building a student's character just as much as, if not more than, academic studies: The school was to be the training ground for character. Only the community of a public school under the direction of a powerful headmaster . , . could prepare boys for active life and act as a powerful agent in society. The character-forming role of the school was considered more important than its strictly intellectual task . [and was the] central purpose of the whole theory of education . (Briggs, 143) One of the ways in which the public school system achieved this was by providing a common ground where students from different social castes could commingle. The fraternisation of diverse classes in these schools effectively introduced students to ''an ideal of responsible service" (Briggs, 145). Although upon reflection it may seem that the school system was still discriminatory, it is important to note how a class conscious Victorian