Chapter I: Preface

One of the most important factors in the making of Theatrical History has been that of Pantomime, yet in many of the published works dealing with the History of the Stage it has, with the exception of a passing reference here and there, been much neglected.

It is with a view of conveying to the reading public some little, and, perhaps, new information about this ancient form of entertainment that I am tempted to issue this History of Pantomime in the hope and belief that it may not only prove interesting, but also instructive, to all lovers of the Stage.

R.J.B.

Liverpool, December, 1901.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Origin of Pantomime

CHAPTER II.

Origin of Tragedy and Comedy--Mythology--The meaning of the word Pantomime--The origin of Harlequin, Columbine, Clown, and Pantaloon--Grecian Mythology--Transformation Scenes--The rise of Grecian Tragedy and Comedy--The Satirical Drama

CHAPTER III.

The origin of the Indian Drama--Aryan Mythology--Clown and Columbine--Origin of the Chinese Drama--Inception of the Japanese Drama--The Siamese Drama--Dramatic performances of the South Sea Islanders, Peruvians, Aztecs, Zulus, and Fijis--The Egyptian Drama

CHAPTER IV.

"Dancing," _i.e._ Pantomime--Grecian Dancing and Pantomimic Scenes--Aristotle--Homer--Dances common to both Greeks and Romans

CHAPTER V.

Thespis--The Progress of Tragedy and Comedy--Aeschylus--The Epopée--Homer--Sophocles--Euripides--Grecian Mimes--The First Athenian Theatre--Scenery and Effects

CHAPTER VI.

Roman Theatres--Description--"Deadheads"--Pantomime in Italy--Livius Andronicus--_Fabulae Atellanae_--Extemporal Comedy--Origin of the Masque, Opera, and Vaudeville--Origin of the term Histrionic--Etruscans--Popularity of Pantomime in Italy--Pantomimists banished by Trajan--Nero as a Mime--Pylades and Bathyllus--Subjects chosen for the Roman Pantomimes--The Ballet--The _Mimi_ and _Pantomimi_--_Archimimus_--Vespasian--Harlequin--"Mr. Punch"--Zany, how the word originated--Ancient Masks--Lucian, Cassiodorus, and Demetrius in praise of Pantomime--A celebrated _Mima_--Pantomimes denounced by early writers--The purity of the English stage contrasted with that of the Grecian and Roman--Female parts on the Grecian and Roman stages--The principal Roman _Mimas_--The origin of the Clown of the early English Drama

CHAPTER VII.

Introduction of the Roman Pantomimic Art into Britain--First English reference to the word Pantomime--The fall of the Roman Empire--The sacred play--Cornish Amphitheatres--Pantomimical and Lyrical elements in the sacrifice of the Mass--Christian banishment of the _Mimis_--Penalties imposed by the Church--St. Anthony on Harlequin and Punch--Vandenhoff--what we owe to the _Mimis_

CHAPTER VIII.

Pantomime in the English Mystery or Miracle Plays and Pageants--A retrospect of the Early Drama--Mysteries on Biblical events--Chester, Coventry, York, and Towneley Mystery Plays--Plays in Churches--Traces of the Mystery Play in England in the Nineteenth Century--Mystery Plays on the Continent--The Chester series of Plays--The Devil or Clown and the _Exodiarii_ and _Emboliariae_ of the Ancient Mimes

CHAPTER IX.

The Clown or Fool of the early English Drama--Moralities--The Interlude--The rise of English Tragedy and Comedy--"Dumb Shews" in the Old Plays--Plays suppressed by Elizabeth--A retrospect

CHAPTER X.

The Italian Masque--The Masque in England--First appearance in this country of Harlequin--Joe Haines as Harlequin--Marlowe's "Faustus"--A Curious Play--The Italian Harlequin--Colley Cibber, Penkethman--Shakespeare's Burlesques of the Masque--Decline of the Masque

CHAPTER XI.

Italian Pantomime--Riccoboni--Broom's "Antipodes"--Gherardi--Extemporal Comedies--Salvator Rosa--Impromptu Acting

CHAPTER XII.

Pantomimical Characters--Neapolitan Pantomime--The Harlequin Family--The Original Characters in the Italian Pantomimes--Celebrated Harlequins--Italian and French Harlequins--A French view of the English Clown--Pierrots' origin--Pantaloon, how the name has been derived--Columbine--Marionette and Puppet Shows

CHAPTER XIII.

Italian Scenarios and English "Platts"--Pantaloon--Tarleton, the Clown--Extemporal Comedy--The Poet Milton--Ben Jonson--The Commonwealth--"A Reign of Dramatic Terror"--Robert Cox and his "Humours" and "Drolleries"--The Restoration

CHAPTER XIV.

Introduction of Pantomimes to the English Stage--Weaver's "History of the Mimes and Pantomimes"--Weaver's Pantomimes--The prejudice against Pantomimes--Booth's counsel

CHAPTER XV.

John Rich and his Pantomimes--Rich's Miming--Garrick, Walpole, Foote--Anecdotes of Rich--Pope--The dance of internals in "Harlequin Sorcerer"--Drury Lane--Colley Cibber--Henry Fielding, the Novelist--Contemporary Writers' opinion of Pantomime--Woodward, the Harlequin--The meaning of the word Actor--Harlequins--"Dr. Faustus," a description--William Rufus Chetwood--Accidents--Vandermere, the Harlequin--"Orpheus and Eurydice" at Covent Garden--A description--Sam. Hoole, the machinist--Prejudice against Pantomime--Mrs. Oldfield--Robert Wilks--Macklin--Riot at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre--Death of Rich

CHAPTER XVI.

Joseph Grimaldi

CHAPTER XVII.

Plots of the old form of Pantomimes--A description of "Harlequin and the Ogress; or the Sleeping Beauty of the Wood," produced at Covent Garden--Grimaldi, _Père et Fils_--Tom Ellar, the Harlequin, and Barnes, the Pantaloon--An account of the first production of the "House that Jack built," at Covent Garden--Spectacular display--Antiquity and Origin of some Pantomimic devices--Devoto, Angelo, and French, the Scenic Artists--Transparencies--Beverley--Transformation Scenes

CHAPTER XVIII.

Pantomimic Families--Giuseppe Grimaldi--James Byrne, the Harlequin and Inventor of the modern Harlequin's dress--Joseph Grimaldi, Junior--The Bologna Family--Tom Ellar--The Ridgways--The Bradburys--The Montgomerys--The Paynes--The Marshalls--Charles and Richard Stilt--Richard Flexmore--Tom Gray--The Paulos--Dubois--Arthur and Charles Leclerq--"Jimmy" Barnes--Famous Pantaloons--Miss Farren--Mrs. Siddons--Columbines--Notable Actors in Pantomime

CHAPTER XIX.

Popular Pantomime subjects--Poor Pantomime Librettos--Pantomime subjects of our progenitors--The various versions of "Aladdin"--"The Babes in the Wood"--"Blue Beard"--"Beauty and the Beast"--"Cinderella"--"Dick Whittington"--"The House that Jack Built"--"Jack the Giant Killer"--"Jack and the Beanstalk"--"Red Riding-Hood"--"The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood"--Unlucky subjects--"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"--"The Fair One with Golden Locks"--The source of "Sindbad the Sailor" and "Robinson Crusoe"

CHAPTER XX.

Pantomime in America

CHAPTER XXI.

Pantomimes made more attractive--The Restrictive Policy of the Patent Houses--"Mother Goose" and "George Barnwell" at Covent Garden--Lively Audiences--"Jane Shore"--"Harlequin Pat and Harlequin Bat"--"The first speaking opening"--Extravagence in Extravaganzas--The doom of the old form of Pantomime--Its revival in a new form--A piece of pure Pantomime--Present day Mimetic Art--"_L'Enfant Prodigue_"--A retrospect--The old with the new, and conclusion