TH E TH EAT RE ROYAL J M E ’ ST . A S S ’ N in T H E s ce 1 8 b . site occupied ‘ 35 y St James s s t o od Theatre an ancien t hostelry , known as ’ N ev o t s Hotel , a quaint building , dating in all 11 likelihood from the reign of Charles . These premises were crumbling into decay , when john W B raham , the famous tenor , whom Sir alter Scott described as “ ” A beast of an actor , though an angel of a singer , cast his eye . 0 0 0 0 upon the spot Already he had squandered J£4 , in buying ’ the Colosseum in Regents Park , but the spirit of speculation was still strong in the composer an d singer of “ The Death of ” Nelson . He therefore decided to build a theatre where ’ N evo t s — Hotel once flourished . At the age of sixty one , having o f b e obtained the sanction King William IV . , commissioned z Bea ley , the famous architect , to build him a playhouse ; and , ’ e at the cost of nearly t h St . James s Theatre came into i ex stence . in s i In a preliminary flourish , which may have been the p ’ “ ration of Sam G erridg e s appeal to the nobility and gentry of ’ ” the B oro Road , the managemen t announced “ ’ — S T . AM E T H E A T R E M r . J S S Braham has the honour to inform the nobility , ' e . gentry , and the public that his new theatre , King Stre t , St James s Square , will 1 1 8 O open on Monday , December 4th , 35 , when , and during the week , an pening A . s ddress will be spoken by Mrs Selby ; after which will be pre ented , for the first time , ‘A ’ a new and original burletta , which has been some time in preparation , gnes Sorel , ' A B k t T h e written by Gilbert e c e . overture and the whole of the music composed by ' . A B e ck e t . Mrs G . Braham was supported in his undertaking by Miss Priscilla Horton , familiar to a later generation as Mrs . German Reed , f but all their e forts could not win success for so dreary a drama , and , a month later , it gave place to a musical piece , called ” Mons . Jacques , by Morris Barnet , one of the few real successes of this three years of management . After one or two re— revivals of opera , the theatre was closed for repairs , to open with the following pompous announcement T h e theatre having during the recess been perfected in all its departments , and being now admitted to be the most splendid theatre in Europe , wil l open for the T 2 th season , on hursday , September 9 , - Despite its splendours , however , ill luck continued to dog the career of the theatre . Charles Dickens , whose fame was then nearing its zenith , turned his attention to the stage , and “ ” - provided Braham with The Strange Gentleman , a two act “ ” W in l e b ur comic burletta , based upon The Great g y D uel , in “ ” Sketches by B oz . A run of fifty nights was thei r reward , and emboldened Braham to commission the novelist to write a “ ” comic opera . Village Coquettes was the result , and Braham , h ad in his enthusiasm , declared that its like not been seen since ’ “ a” Dal un . Sheridan s In a preface , dedicated to Harley , the comedian , Dickens admitted “ T his drama may have a plot , or it may not ; and the songs may be poetry , or ; ff they may not and the whole a air , from beginning to end , may be great nonsense , or it may not , just as the honourable gentleman or lady who reads it , may happen to think . So retaining his own private and particular opinion upon the subject (an O pinion which he formed upwards of a year, when he wrote the piece), the author leaves every such gentleman or lady to form his or hers as he or she may think proper , without saying one word to influence or conciliate them . It is needless to add l ib retto that the of an opera must be , to a certain extent , a mere vehicle for the music , and that it is scarcely fair or reasonable to judge it by those strict rules of criticism " fiv - which would be justly applicable to a e act tragedy or a finished comedy . “ ” a ol o icz This p g notwithstanding , the strict rules of criticism were applied , and the poor thing perished of public neglect at “ 1 8 . 8 the early age of twenty nights In February , 3, The ” S ital s field p Weaver (since made so popular by Mr . L . Toole) first saw the light , played by Messrs . Alfred Wigan , E . Wright , . M J Webster , and iss Allison . Its success was immediate , and - Braham , entering the green room on one occasion said , with “ - a u h ve st glee , I feel qui te proud to night . I j counted the pit , and there are seventeen people in it I But one swallow does not make a summer . At the end of 1 8 8 the season , in 3, Braham found himself a ruined man and , 6 at the age of 5 , obliged to begin life afresh in America , where 1 8 6 he attained great pop ularity . He died at Brompton in 5 , 8 r d in his 3 year . 1 8 . The theatre remained closed until 39, when Mr Hooper became manager . A man of considerable enterprise , he not — only engaged such well known artists as Walter Lacy , Alfred Wigan , james B land , M rs . Glover , Mrs . Honey , and M rs . i . Nisbet , but decided to assist the r talents wi th varieties He o f A me r h o . theref re secured Van b g and his famous troupe lions The public , nothing loth , gave him so cordial a welcome , that Hooper imported from Paris a troupe of highly - trained monkeys , dogs and goats . The bait proved irresistible , all the “ rank and fashion crowding to witness the antics of Mdme . ” “ ” “ ” Pompadour , Mdlle . Batavia , Lord Gogo , and his valet “ ” Jacob . The young Q ueen having patronised the wild beast show twice in one week at Drury Lane , everyone was eager to ’ show his or her loyalty by doing likewise at the St . James s , and the theatre was crowded nightly . It is interesting to a r o or record , p p of this strange phase , that Mr . George Alexander , on taking over the theatre many years after , found in the cellar several i ron cages in which the animals , doubtless , had been kept . fi M r . and Mrs . Charles Mathews made their rst appearance “ at this theatre during this management , in Love among the ” “ ” 85 . Roses . and Simpson Co f One season satis ied Mr . Hooper , and French plays reigned in King Street from May until the end of July . The house t h re - n then closed until November 5 , when it was ope ed by Mr . Alfred Bunn , with an Opera Company , including all the ” ” M as saniell o principal singers of the day . Guy Mannering , , “ ” “ ’ ” The Waterman , and The Beggar s Opera , were the most noteworthy of his productions , and , at the end of his season , re - the theatre was again closed , and not opened until April , 1 8 0 4 . ’ This being the year of the Q ueen s marriage , Alfred Bunn thought a series of German pl ays might be attractive , and for “ ’ ” a time the theatre was called The Prince s , under Herr Schumann (Director of Grand Opera at Mayence). Every thing German was the fashion , so the venture proved suc 6 cess ful , although the singers and actors were declared by the critics to be execrable . h 1 t 8 2 . On February 7 , 4 , M r Mitchell , the Ticket Agent of B ond Street , took possession under the authority of the Lord Chamberlain , for the performance of French Comedies ; and , ’ “ for about twelve years , the St . James s was designated The ” D é . az et . French Theatre . Mdlle Plessy , Mdlle . j , Mdlle P erl et ffé Rachel , Mons . , Frederick Lemaitre , Clarisse , Bou , V estris e Leroy , Mesdames , Faur , and Mdlle . Judith , were among the more celebrated of the French artists who appeared during this period ; and Rachel , in particular , was the talk of ” “ ” “ ” e P ol s act e the town in such parts as Ph dre Roxane , y , “ ” ” ” ur Leco uvre Adrienne , Andromaque , Marie Stuart , and ” Mdlle . de Belle Isle . Curiously enough , while the aristocracy flocked to applaud ’ the French actors at the St . James s , the democracy rallied to the cry of “ Protection "” raised by great actors and literary men of ea eminence , and hissed the Parisian company of the Th tre o ff Historique the stage of Drury Lane when , in they ’ “ ” strove to obtain a hearing for Dumas Monte Cristo . An internecine war of words ensued , whilst pamphlets , calling on “ B ritons to stand by the British Drama ” and painting the horrors consequent on the French invasion of “ the most sacred ” domain of the British author and actor , were showered into the f arena . Macready , alone , de ied the storm raised by Charles Kean , Benj amin Webster , Charles M athews , Harley , Buckstone f and their fellows , and o fered a handsome apology to the French visitors . But his intervention was in vain ; they were driven out of the Paradise of Drury Lane and left to wander at their ’ will at the St .