p. 381

[For the Sunday Dispatch.]

REMINISCENCES
of
PRIVATE DRAMATIC ASSOCIATIONS.
BY L. G. THOMAS.

In recalling to mind the events of our past
lives we experience a dregee of pleasrable
emotion while dwelling in remembrance
upon those scenes when the youthful blood
is animated and fired with the excitements
through which according to our tastes and
partialities we derived special enjoyment.

In early boyhood the writer of these brief
"Reminiscences" took an especial interest in
visiting the theatre to witness the rendition
of Shakspere's sublime plays wherein oppor-
tunity was afforded for lisening to the fine
readings of the masters of the stage.

How vividly to his mind rise up the mag-
nificent delineations of that master-spirit of
Tragedy the elder Booth ! His matchless
portraitures of Richard III., Iago Pescara
Sir Edward Mortimer Lear and other cha-
racters remain indelibly impressed upon the
"tablets of memory." In the acting of no
other man that I have witnessed have such
impressions been produced. His perfection
of reading the fine intonations of that match-
less and melodious voice the natural gestures
and above all the incomparable expression
of his speaking eye--al have "many a time
and oft" held me for hours as it were spell-
bound. Womderful eyes were those of Junius
soul manifesting itself through those windows
of the mind and varying so winderfully in
expression according to the nature of the
character illustrated and always in perfect
consonance therewith. He was an actor
"whose like I ne'er expect to look upon
again."

It was about twenty-eight years ago--when
the Walnut Street Theatre under the man-
agement of "Barney" Wemyss as he was
familiarly called rejoiced in the possession of
a very choice stock company--that I became
in theatrical parlance "stage-struck !" To
go to the Walnut seemed to me the very es-
senece of happiness ; for Ned Conner played
there and Ned was the pink of perfection
almost in the opinion of the "boys." And
Gus Addams ! how we rushed to see him in
Rolla Othello or in his great Roman parts !

Well without farther digression I will
proceed to state that fired with the spirit of
the drama and seized with a determination
to become actors some half dozen of us set
about the formation of a "spout shop" (i.e.
dramatic association) wherein we could inde-
pendently "strut our brief hour upon the
stage" and affix in the course of time upon
the "scroll of fame" the names of other ac-
tors besides Forrest Booth Addams &c.

At that period and prior thereto there had
been several associations flourishing under
the names of "Shakspere" the "Philo"

"Boothenian" &c. ; and I am inclined to
believe that there was more interest then
manifested among the rising generation in
favor of private theatricals than exists at the
present day.

In a room over the stable-house connected
with Mrs. Kiple's tavern in Fourth street
above Race with its west front on Crown

street a dramatic "temple" called the "Me-
tamora" had after a season of prosperity I
suppose "yielded up the ghost." We ascer-
tained that this place was "to let" and ac-
cordingly bargained for and obtained it : and
set about with all the ability at our com-
mand to add to the scenery and fixtures
already there and in a short space of time we
were prepared to open the Thespain temple.
Out of compliment (!) to our "national tra-
gedian" we dubbed it the "Forrestonian
Dramatic Association."

Commencing with six members we soon
had numerous accessions. Among our com-
pany we had James Roberts son of the gifted
low comedian whom many of the old thea-
tre-going citizens of Philadelphia will re-
member particularly in his unique character
of Wormwood in the farce of "The Lottery
Ticket ;" and that also was his son's peculiar
character and often did we enact "The
Lottery Ticket" with much success the
writer of this performing the part of Mrs.
Corset for at first we had to play our pieces
without females the males donning feminine
costume. Fortunately crinoline was not
then in vogue.

We also had J. B. Roberts the present
popular tragedian remarkable for his for-
cible and correct readings. I believe that
Mr. Roberts made his first appearance upon
any stage with us and in the character of
Brutus. We got up the drama of "The
Rent Day"--J. B. Roberts as Martin Hey-
wood. Our comedian Roberts acted very
clcerly the part of Bullfrog. The writer's
character was that of Old Crumbs Charley
Ashton a promising young performer played
Toby Heywood.

"Luke the Laborer" was one of our fa-
vorite dramas. Among our company I re-
collect the names of Fred. Smith Bayard
Price Bill Jones Dave Gihen Jim Richards
Bill Mills Fromberger (remarkable for his
dying falls a la Gus Addams) and others
almost forgotten by me. Many of them have
long since passed to "the undiscover'd coun-
try from whose bourn no traveler returns."

On our opening night we did not essay any
play but gave recitations songs &c. The
writer rendered the speech of Cassius "insti-
gating Brutus" and with Jim McMinn who
appeared as Brutus we gave the "quarrel
scene" from "Julius Caesar."

Wardrobes being scarce on the first night
I remember robing myself in a common
shirt to the sleeves and skirts of which strips
of red muslin had been sttached. Yet I felt
myself every inch a "Roman !"

I must mention to my readers that the
"Forrestonian" on some of its representation
nights presented peculiarities such as no other
dramatic temple I venture to assert ever did.
The roof over the "theatre" was defective
and whenever a shower of rain came on it
leaked badly and in some places the water
came down in streams upon both audience
and actors. Consequently on rainy nights the
spectators would be obliged to raise their um-
brellas and it was a curious and amusing
sight to see the audience with umbrellas
hoisted viewing the play. And the stage !--
what a sight it would present on such nights ;
the actors wading through the ice and pools
of water when making their "exits" and
"entrances." How we used to shudder on

those freezing nights of the severe winter of
1835-'36 when the ice lay open the scenery
and stage and but little warmth was emitted
from the old smoky stove around which the
members huddled when off duty.

Those persons familiar with "private thea-
trees" have doubtless often been amused by
the mistakes and blunders that will occa-
sionally transpire. There is often much con-
fusion and excitement in the changing of
scenes ; often the wrong scene will be put on ;
as for instance a "parlor" will be set where
a "wood" or "pris[?]" scene should be or
part of one scene with part of another will be
set making the thing ridiculous in the ex-
treme. And sometimes some poor novice will
get "stuck" in the language of his "part"
while the prompter's voice giving him "the
words" will be audible to the whole audience.
I remember one night er were doing "Pizar-
ro" and in the scene where Rolla crosses the
bridge with the child (it was a rag baby) the
soldiers that were in pursuit and should shoot
him while crossing failed to do so as the gun
snapped and did not discharge in time ; and
it was not until the scene was changed and
Rollo in a bleeding and dying state had en-
tered into Alonzo and Cora's presence that
the gun was fired making the matter quite
ludicrous. Then to make the affair worse
Alonzo got "stuck" and failed to say in time
"Rolla thou diest?" when several of the
actors voices behind the scenes attempted to
aid the prompter by vociferating "Rolla
thou diest?" Upon which Alonzo being so
well posted up cried "Rolla thou diest?"
"For thee and Cora" answers Rolla and the
curtain fell amid shouts of laughter from the
audience a curious but not unusal accompa-
niment to the acting of many of our deep
melo-dramas and tragedies.

"Ambrose Gwinnett" was one of our popu-
lar playing dramas in which Joe De Camp
used to perform quite effectively the charac-
ter of Lucy. Charley Ashton was the Am-
brose and I the Ned Grayling--the latter being
a part I fancied. On one occasion in doing
the dying scene as I fell I struck my head
rather hard upon the floor just after ejacu-
laating the words "I die happy!"

A member of the name of Fitzgibbon was
very clever in Irish parts and was quite
happy in Thady O' Blarney in the farce of
"Botheration." I played Mc Varnisn and
the fact is particularly remembered by me as
being the first occasion upon which I ever
wore a long-tailed coat !

We brought out the melo-drama of "Lo
Zingaro" a piece popular at the time at the
Walnut. "Venice Preserved" a play I
suppose more often played at "spout shops"
than any other was also a "stock" piece of
ours--Pierre by J. B. Roberts ; Jaffier C.
Ashton ; Belvidera Miss Harriet Barnes a
very pretty girl who joined our corps soon
after we started.

The negro extravaganza of "Oh Hush!"
by jom Crow Rice was gotten up at our
"shop." With a liberal use of burnt cork
we made quite an imposing array of "Ame-
rican citizens of African descent." This was
before the advent of "negro minstrelsy" and
I believe we acquitted ourselves in the sing-
ing line quite satisfactorily. At least such
was our impression then.

Jim McMinn made a very good Damon
being in possession of a fine sonorous voice