the Preachers and the Players," which was commenced by the Rev. J. Ansell James delivering a series of sermons bitterly inveigling against the theatre as a place of amusement, and pouring forth the most awful denunciations against the frequenters thereof. Alfred Bunn, the manager, was not slow to retort. He put "The Hypocrite" on the boards. Shuter, the clever comedian and mimic, personating Mr. James in the part of Mawuorm so cleverly that the piece had an immense run. The battle ended in a victory for both sides, chapel and theatre alike being crammed. If it pleased the godly it was a god-send for Bann whose exchequer it filled to repletion.
Signor Costa was at the Festival in 1829, and he afterwards appeared on the stage at the Royal.
Paganini first fiddled at the Royal, January 22, 1832.
Sheridan Knowles, Macready, Paganini, Matthews, and Miss Ellen Tree were among the Stars at the Royal in 1833.
Mercer H. Simpson took the management of the Royal in 1838. His farewell benefit was on December 16, 1864, and he died March 2, 1877, aged 76.
Sims Reeves' first visit to this town was in May, 1843; his last appearance at the Festivals was in 1873; at the Royal in May, 1875, and at the Town Hall, March 25, 1884.
Jenny Lind first sang here Aug. 29, 1847; she sang for the Queen's Hospital at Town Hall, Dec. 28, 1848; her last concerts were Jan, 22-23, 1862.
Madle. Rachael first played here Aug. 19, 1847.
Charles Dickens and his amateur friends gave their special performances in aid of the Shakespeare House Fund, at the Royal. June 6 and 27, 1848, the receipts amounting to £589.
Variety was not wanting at our New Street Theatre in 1852. Among the artistes advertised to appear were: A strong Man who had 5 cwt. of stone broken (by a sledge hammer) on his chest nightly; performing Dogs and Horses; Madame Grisi, Signor Mario, Haymarket Company, Benjamin Webster, and Madame Celeste, etc., etc.
Miss Monkton, the female Mazeppa, appeared at Prince of Wales'. May 15, 1805, and at the Royal in Nov. 1867.
Miss Neilson's first appearance here was in Nov. 1868, in an adaptation, by Mr. C. Williams, a local dramatist, of Miss Braddon's "Captain of the Vulture."
Mr. Irving first appeared as Hamlet in this town at Prince of Wales', Dec, 1877.
Sarah Bernhardt was at Prince of Wales', July 4-6, 1881.
Kyrle Bellew last appeared here at Prince of Wales', Sept. 17, 1881.
Mrs. Langtry was at Prince of Wales'. May 29, 1882.
Edwin Booth's first appearance here was at the Royal, as Richelien. Dec. 11 1882.
Bobby Atkins, whose real name was Edward, was the most popular comedian of the Royal, with which he had been connected for more than twenty-five years. He died in 1882, in his 64th year. His bosom friend. John Barton, made his exit from the world's stage April 16, 1875.
Mr. George Rignold's mother is stated by Mr. Thomas Swinbourne (himself a native) to have been a leading actress of the Theatre Royal and very popular, as indeed she would necessarily be, her role of parts including Hamlet and Virginius. The father was, says Mr. S., "an admirable terpsichorean artists, and George inherits the talents of both parents, with a dash of music besides, for, like William, in ' Black-eyed Susan,' he plays on the fiddle like on angel.'"
Two or three of our places of amusement have been turned into chapels permanently, and therefore it was hardly a novelty to hold "Gospel services" in the Prince of Wales's Theatre. October 3, 1875, but it was to their credit that "the gods" behaved themselves.
