GARRICK’S “CHINESE FESTIVAL.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4488, 7 August 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

GARRICK’S “CHINESE FESTIVAL.”

Mr. Dutton Cook, writing in Belgravia on “ Ballets and Ballet Dancers," gives a variety of historic notes, which are exceedingly curious. One passage we quote, showing how David Garrick was treated by London audiences on the occasion of his production of the too famous Chinese Festival : “ In England ballet has enjoyed many triumphs, while it has nevertheless experienced sundry disasters. There was groat trouble, for instance, at Drury Lane Theatre in 1755, when Mr. Garrick’s Chinese Festival with its French dancers was sternly, even savagely, condemned by the audience. The manager was ovorfond of spangles and spectacles, or inclined to overestimate his public’s regard for such matters, and a shaq> but necessary lesson was read to him upon that occasion. Then ho was very obstinate, and in such wise roused the British lion inordinately. He would not withdraw the play from his stage ; promptly tho audience determined that no stage should bo left him upon which to represent either the Chinese Festival or anything else. Of course he had to yield at last, as managers must when playgoers are resolute; he had to live by pleasing, not displeasing. But he did not give way until there had been some six nights of uproar and riot. In vain did various noble lords and gentlemen friends, of the management, and supporters of spectacle and the ballet, draw their swords, endeavoring to awe malcontents, to restore order, and to defend the theatre from outrage. The mob would have its way. Tho benches were torn up, the decorations tom down, chandeliers smashed, oven scenes and properties were ruthlessly destroyed. There was, indeed, a wild proposition rife at one time to fire the house and bum it to the ground. Garrick could but strike his flag, and yield up his Chinese Festival. Still it was agreed that he had hesitated too long. The mob therefore repaired to Southamptonstreet, and smashed his window-panes, doing other mischief to his property there. He began even to tremble for his life, and from his friends in power obtained a guard of soldiery to protect him. Strange to say, on two of the nights of riot the King was present—a fact that did not in the least hinder or mitigate the violent demonstrations of the audience. “ But it was not so much the ballet that gave offence as the ballet-dancers whom Garrick brought from Paris. They wore chiefly Swiss, but the audience believed them to bo French, and at that time a very strong autiGallican feeling prevailed in the land. Tho relations between England and France were of an unfriendly kind ; tho two countries were, indeed, on the eve of war. The French, by their conduct in America, had incurred the bitterest English enmity. It is true that Garrick had projected his spectacle months before this feeling had arisen. He was careful so to inform the public, and further to state that his ballet-master, M. Novorc, and his sisters were Swiss and of a Protestant family ; his wife and her sister Germans; and that of the whole corps dc hallet, sixty in number, forty were English. But this availed not. Tire pit would not regard it, holding fast to their opinion that no management should bring over parloy-voos and frog-eaters to take tho broad

out of English mouths. Peace was at length restored iu Drury Lane, and the dancers sent back. The management lost £4OOO ; Garrick purchasing knowledge of his public at rather a high rate.”