Fox's Old Bowery Theatre

Event Information

Venue(s):
Fox's Old Bowery Theatre (until 1/67)

Manager / Director:
George Washington Lafayette Fox

Event Type:
Play With Music

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
28 July 2014

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

09 Nov 1863, Evening
10 Nov 1863, Evening
11 Nov 1863, Evening

Program Details



Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
aka Lady Audley's secret
Text Author: Brougham
Participants:  George W. Thompson (role: Robert Audley);  Harry Chapman (role: Bobbles);  Mrs. Harry Chapman (role: Martin);  George Washington Lafayette Fox (role: Bubbles);  Fanny Herring (role: Lady Audley)
3)
Participants:  Tony Denier
4)
aka Giles Scroggin's ghost
Text Author: Taylor [dramatist]
Participants:  George Washington Lafayette Fox (role: the ghost);  Harry Chapman;  Mrs. Harry Chapman

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 08 November 1863, 7.

2)
Advertisement: New York Clipper, 14 November 1863, 247.
3)
Review: New York Clipper, 21 November 1863, 251.

“Attracted by the announcement on the Old Bowery show bills that Miss Fanny Herring would make her re-appearance on the 9th inst. as Lady Audley, in the play of ‘Lady Audley’s Secret,’ we took our best ‘overcoat’ and made a forced march upon the old house, which we reached in time to be too late to make a sortie upon a ‘picked seat,’ so we had to stand with a patience that would pay credit to Job himself, or the ‘great American people’ sighing for ‘specie resumption,’ or ‘low rates for hard coal.’ The play is sadly defective, the main plot of the story being seriously interfered with in its development by the introduction of two low comedy parts, to afford Messrs. G. L. Fox and H. Chapman a ‘swing.’ As the characters are not essential to the piece, they should be dispensed with, substituting a few original scenes from the novel itself, which would prove of more utility to Miss Herring’s support, as the comic ‘gag scenes’ act as a ‘cut-off,’ and disturb the harmony of the original plot. The cast of the ‘re arrangement’ is a weak one, not demanding the full strength of the company, consequently the burthen of representation rests upon Miss Herring as Lady Audley, and Mr. G. W. Thompson as Robert Audley. The mountings of the piece were superb, especially in the second act, the properties being of the most costly and elaborate description, seldom equaled upon any stage in the country. Miss Herring represented Lady Audley with all the enthusiasm of a true artiste, exhibiting but few misconceptions of the fiendish creature that could only exist in the brain of a sensationalist novelist. Lady Audley, as painted by the authoress in her work, was not a being of nature, or a type of humankind, in any shape or form, and upon that ground we judge it difficult for any lady to enact the part with the same precision and fidelity that she would with one more true to reality. Miss Herring was well supported by Mr. G. W. Thompson, who is a very fine young actor. The drawing room scene between Lady Audley and Robert Audley afforded splendid scope for both Miss Herring and Mr. Thompson to display their abilities, and they electrified the audience with acting that made us almost imagine we were in a Broadway house instead of the Old Bowery.”