I read with much pleasure, your interesting article: "Old Bowery"—with the
reminiscencies of the actors & actresses fifty years ago2—Tho' I am not personally known to you—&
as far as my knowledge you to me—still every one tells me, I would assuredly
know Walt Whitman the poet by description—your remarks about the elder
Booth3 is true to the letter—no actor has ever
approached him—in this Century—unless it be the Elder Kean4—or the Kembles5—Tho' I am not yet an Octogenarian or even a Septuagenarian—I being
but 66 at the close off this month—I date my theatrical experience loc.03259.002_large.jpg since 1835 just
fifty years ago the year I came from England—then a mere youth, but as I was
intimately acquainted with the Treasurer of the Park Theater under Price6—I had the entreé at that theater at all times
& was & was in theatrical parlance a "first nighter" referring back to Booth
he was the genius of all the players—neither Macready7 nor Vandenoff8 (the elder) nor Chas Kean9 or Booth (his son) or Irving10 could compare to him his acting was
inspiration—none could equal him save perhaps Forrest11 in two characters—Richilieu & King
Lear—his stentorian voice & powerful frame which gave him perhaps an
advantage over Booth but Forrest even in these characters was the perfection &
not the genius of acting—I never witnessed Forrest acting but the houses were
jammed, my experience of witnessing Booth was not so fortunate as yours—I seldom
saw him to big houses the last time I saw him was at the Chatham Square theater—a
rather
loc.03259.003_large.jpg pretty
house for those times, built I think by Flynn of the old Bowery Theater12—I think he played Sir Giles Overeach in a new way to pay old debts"—at all events it was where he has a
servant named "Maral" I cannot remember without reference whether it was this piece
or the "Iron Chest" both pieces besides all you name I saw him in—at this
representation I speak of—he played to empty benches as far as memory
serves—There could not have been fifty persons in the house—I was in the
pit or what is now called the parquet—I never can forget his marvelous acting
it was inspiration with him—one scene where he upbraids Maral he gives him a
contemptuous look
loc.03259.004_large.jpg & utters with electrical effect "Maral I hate thee"—I can never forget
it—it was imprinted in my mind ever since—if he was now alive few houses
would hold the numbers that would flock to see him—I cannot account for the
cause, why I never saw him to a crowded house—I presume his erratic career had
something to do with [illegible]—while
upon theatricals fifty years ago you perhaps did not witness scenes, which I
did—memorable among which was the driving of Mr & Mrs Wood13 from the stage of the Park & her reappearance at the
same house by the almost unanimous need of the theater going Public—
loc.03259.005_large.jpg
The driving of Mr & Mrs Wood from the stage was the action of Jas Watson Webb then proprietor of the Courier & Enquirer a gentleman in
manners & association14 but he espoused the cause of
a Mrs Conway & got up this "Theatrical row" I was there—& as I write I witnessed her
reappearance at the same house after an absence of 2 3 or 4 years—The ovation
was as great as the row—do you recollect this delightful singer no english
singer could compare to her in this century—the Italians such as Grisi15 or Titiens16 had more
musical science, but as a whole they were not better only Malibran17 perhaps was her superior Mrs Wood sang in Sonambula & Norma—with equal effect & gestures which neither Grisi or
Titiens could loc.03259.006_large.jpg
attempt Sonambula, you assuredly must have seen her in this part—can you ever forget
the scene, where her lover upbraids her, for being formal in "his Lordships chamber"
she was a charming singer—certainly no English singer of my time, can be
compared to her, I think she is dead—but her husband is still living in
England or it may be au contraire Mr. Wood was a very agreeable singer of the
English school—not as sweet a singer or as good as Wilson—you must
recollect the Shirreff troupe—who came out I think under Wallack Sr.
management—Miss Shirreff Wilson the Seguins & a charming Baritone who name I cannot now remember
loc.03259.007_large.jpg They came out in "Amelie" written
by a young Irish composer named Rooke18 a charming opera
full of sweet melodies well harmonized—they took New York by storm—you
must also recollect a very pretty chorus girl named Taylor—who was in the
foremost of the
choristers—she made quite a sensation19—&
was afterwards one of Mitchell principal actresses in his English burlesque
company20—she subsequently married quite well
then burlesques were very witty & quite enjoyable—they outlived themselves
however & the Opera Bouffe21 with reason taken its place—particularly some of the later compositions, which are not
offensive to good taste or ears polite
loc.03259.008_large.jpg Then again do you recollect Signor
de Begnis (—with perhaps the exception of Lablach22—whom I have heard
frequently on my trips across the ocean)23 he was the
first Bouffe I ever heard—his voice was somewhat off when he came to this
country, but he was a great singer—it was for he that Rossini wrote his Barber
in the Barbiere di Sivilgia as well as for Madame de Begnis24— a very good singer I believe for she
was before my time—but a very bad immoral woman—they were playing the
Turco in Italia at the old Church [illegible] Theater under De Begnis management the night it was burnt down
loc.03259.009_large.jpg the site is now
occupied by extensive dry goods store—poor de Begnis was heart broken—I
knew him intimately—I recollect his coming down to the English chop house
cor of Bway & Leonard St a celebrated Caterer—an
Englishman—but for the life of me I cannot recollect his name—well he
came down perfectly crest fallen—deploring the destruction of the
house—& as he said for he spoke vile English that all his "Turkeys" was
burnt up meaning that his turkish dresses were consumed—he was a character I
assure you—but a great actor—As I say no one
loc.03259.010_large.jpg was superior except Lablach &
none could approach him save perhaps Ronconi25—De
Begnis died of yellow fever in [illegible]
then you speak of Alboni26—I heard her both in New
York & this city she still lives in Paris—no one has ever approached her
in voice or style—long previous to her however was Fanny Elssler
who came over under the Chaperonage of Mr Wikoff27—she was a delightful dancer in her style what is
called tour de force no one approached her—about her time there was a charming
dancer Madame Augusta whose particular Role was in
loc.03259.011_large.jpg the Bayadere—she drew crowds
always28—you speak of Bettini Badiali29—I heard them with Madame Todesco30 at the Old Chestnut theatre (about 35 years
ago) to very poor houses price 50 cents pit boxes 1.00 They afterwards appeared at
the Walnut—to better houses. Things have changed since the days of
Hamblin—Scott & maybe Kirby31—this style
of acting would not suit any class of people now—the mob like a little rant
& loud declamation now—but it must be from pieces which are more
sensational
loc.03259.012_large.jpg in
their character—as you will learn I have been a great theater goer in my
time—I am getting a little in the "sere and yellow leaf"32 now—but I still enjoy the
play—& most of all
Musical entertainments I have seen & heard all the great artists
of my time with only three notable exceptions Malibran Rubini33 & Paganini34 still there
are great Musical artists now. Patti35 Sulehi & others, in the hope my
reminiscencies may be amusing to you I subscribe myself
PS—I have a series of small volumes called the "Drama" published in London 1824 giving the appearance as well as sketches of the leading actors & actresses of that time I should be happy to loan them if you think their perusal would be interesting to you
The English Caterer I speak of I now recollect was Windurst
Correspondent:
Edward S. Mawson
(1819–1889) was born in London and had opened his "Fine Furs" store in
Philadelphia in 1839.