Othello / The Middy Ashore

On September 7, 1836, was laid the foundation stone of the Victoria Theatre, Pitt-street, with full Masonic honours. It took over 18 months to make the building ready for the public, and to make the opening night a success, Mr. Wyatt, the proprietor, engaged a company specially for the occasion. In those far off days quick passages to England were unheard of, and the 'cable' was not. Mr.Wyatt did the next best thing in the circumstances, he went to Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, so known then, and engaged as good performers as could be obtained and the theatre there could spare.

'The Sydney Herald' in 1838 appeared but twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. The proprietor, Mr. Ward Stephens, of Gloucester-street and Lower George-street, Sydney, paid but little heed to the theatrical events of the town, though Mr. Wyatt advertised freely with him. In the issue of Monday, 26th, March 1838, appeared this advertisement :-

Royal Victoria Theatre.

The Public is now respectfully informed that, the above theatre will reopen for the reception of the public this Evening, 26th March 1838, when will be produced for the first time Shakespeare's Tragedy in five acts,

OTHELLO.

The Duke of Venice. Mr. Collins; Ludovico, Mr. Morton; Brabantio, Mr. Lane; Roderigo, Mr. Simes; Cassio, Mr. Groves Montana. Mr. Falchon; Othello, Mr. Arabin (from the Hobart Town Theatre); Iago, Mr. Spencer; Gratiano, Mr. Allwood; Antonio, Mr. Hollis. Julia, Mr. bnuth ; Daulo, Mr. Gazes ; Marco, Mr.Powell; Giovanni, Mr. Balton; Desdemona, Miss Winstanley ; Emilia, Mrs. Arabin.

As an interlude, Mr. Falchon, 'from the Hobart Town Theatre,' sang the popular song, 'Paddy's Wedding.' '

The evening entertainment concluded with the laughable farce.

'The Middy Ashore,' or 'A Spree Upon Land.'

The doors were open at half-past 6, and the performance commenced at 7 punctually. The prices of admission were dress boxes (or circle) 5s, upper boxes 4s, pit 2s, gallery 1s. The old world custom of half-price at 9 o'clock, never heard of now, existed then, the pit being the only exception. Boxes could be secured for the night or for the season, to be taken at the box-office from 9 to 11 each day. To prevent disappointment, no box would be kept unless the admission fee was paid at the time of selection. The plan of the dress circle was always on view at the box-office. Children in arms were not admitted, not even at the old country fee of one guinea each. Mr. Joseph Wyatt signed the advertisements as proprietor, and wound up loyally with VIVAT REGINA.

It must be admitted that Mr. Wyatt's company was a generally useful one, Mr. Arabin 'starred' in bills and advertisements, and Miss Winstanley ditto, ditto, not objecting to appear in such a farce as 'The Middy Ashore.' Mr. Wyatt took care to expand the list of characters in 'Othello' in a way that the Divine William never dreamt of. I am under the impression that, in the present day, if 'Othello' were produced in anything like good form, that an Irish comic song would not be tolerated immediately after it. 'Paddy's Wedding,' however, brings back reminiscences of John Drew and Billy O'Neill, who first, I think, introduced the rollicking song to the Melbourne public. The Mr. Morton who played Ludovico was a near relative— brother, I believe— of Mr. Maddison Morton, the dramatic author. On Mr. Morton's decease his widow kept for a time a tobacconist's shop in Market street, combining the business with newsagency and bookselling. The shop was No. 72, within two doors of Pitt-street, and now built over by Farmer and Co. The lady was there in 1878.

Commenting on the performance of Shakespeare's grand tragedy, the first time, I think, of its production in Australia (Arabin may have played the part in Van Diemen's Land), the 'Herald' critic gave the star credit for a 'chaste conception of the character,' his great fault being that he delivered all soliloquies to the audience, a fault not confined to Mr. Arabin, as most of the old time tragedians always took the audience 'into their confidence,' Mr. Spencer "played that pretty rascal lago well but confided all his villainy to the audience," the critic no doubt thinking that Spencer should have kept his villainy well bottled up until the closing scene. I have seen many Iagos, but never yet saw one who could conceal his villainy. Though excellent in comedy, Miss Winstanley and Mrs. Arabin were counted rank failures in tragedy. The critic considered that Mr. Groves misconceived the character of Cassio, and as to the farce, Mrs. Murray, "a petite little lady with a shrill voice, was animated and likely to become a favourite." Strange to say, the critic admitted that he had forgotten the name of the man who sang the comic song, 'but it served to amuse.' The 'Herald's' critic did for the opening night of the Victoria Theatre what John Baldwin Buckstone once said that a critic did for one of his dramas, "Damned it with faint praise."

Mr. Wyatt, anxious to please his patrons, added to his company. He had a monopoly now. After Mr. Barnet Levey's death, the widow continued to direct the Theatre Royal, but the strain appears to have broken her health, as in the issue of the 'Herald' which announces the opening of the Victoria Theatre, she advertises her thanks to those who sympathised with her in her trouble, and attributes her illness to the cares and worries of theatrical management. She was not the first nor the last who suffered worries from theatrical management. Added to Mr. Wyatt's company at the. time were Mr. and Miss Lazar, Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, and Mrs.Clarke.

At one time the name Lazar was a household word In Australian theatricals. Some years ago a son of this old-time actor had the lease of the Theatre Royal, Castlereagh-street. Mr. John Henry Want, now K.C., then a pushing junior barrister and a patron of all legitimate sport, in which may be included the drama, had business relations with Mr. Samuel Lazar. On occasions the 'treasury' required assistance to enable the 'ghost' to walk with comfort, and on such occasions Mr. Want generously came to Mr. Lazar's aid— I think at one time Lazar's indebtedness to Mr. Want amounted to £600, good coin of the realm advanced to keep the theatre going. As some sort of security, Mr. Lazar gave Mr. Want control of the O.P. box for his private use and that of his friends. While Mr. Lazar was in active management Mr. Want and his friends enjoyed the occupation of the O.P. box without let or hindrance. But evil days fell upon Mr. Lazar; he lost his reason, and was confined until his death in one of the asylums. His interest was still maintained in the theatre; his daughter, Miss Victoria Lazar, afterwards Mrs. Moss succeeded to her father's interest in the lease. But the lady questioned Mr Want’s rights and felt disposed to dispute his possession of the O. P. box. Unfortunately for Mr Want, all the documents and memoranda in connection with his transactions with Mr. Sam Lazar were destroyed in a fire which took place on his premises. Mrs. Moss, however, temporised (I am writing entirely from memory), and agreed that Mr. Want should have the box alternate nights, Mrs. Moss and her friends occupying it for the other three. For peace sake, I presume, Mr. Want agreed to this, and for a time things went on amicably enough. But Mrs. Moss tired of the arrangement, and blocked Mr. Want's entry altogether. Then Mr. J. H. Want went to law. He invoked the aid of the Chief Judge in Equity. The matter, like most Chancery matters, dragged its slow length along for many months, if not years. Then Mr. Justice Owen gave his verdict against Mr. Want. The latter was not satisfied; he appealed to the Full Court and again was beaten. But he was not faint-hearted. He had helped Sam Lazar with good coin, and if he could not recover that he would at least have the 'compensation' that Lazar in his time had allowed him the use of the O.P. box. Mr Want appealed to the Privy Council, and, fate of fates, while the appeal was under way, another 'authority' stepped in and ended the proceedings. In 1892 the 'fire fiend' seized the Theatre Royal, and ended not only Jack Want's long-drawn-out suit, but also Miss Victoria Lazar's (Mrs. Moss) interest in the lease. As fire had destroyed the theatre, there was no theatre to lease! The costs, which all fell on Mr. Want, must have been simply enormous. In the last moments of the Theatre Royal Mr. George Musgrove was manager, with Mr. C. L. Goodman as treasurer, Sam Lazar's representative being the lessee.

The management of the Victoria Theatre, as was absolutely necessary, varied its programme to suit its patron’s tragedy, melodrama, comedy, and farce, with good, bad, and indifferent actors, until the beginning of the year 1841, when a new actor of some old country note struck Sydney. This was none other than FRANCIS NESBITT M'CRON, a name yet remembered by some ancient Playgoers. Not many, however, remember him, but those who do remember Nesbitt— his stage name— place him next to G. V. Brooke. My dead friend, Sam Banks, a personal friend and devoted admirer of Mr. Nesbitt's, placed me in possession of much relating to the private history of the actor. M'Cron was a native of Manchester (England), born in 1809. His mother was named Armstrong, his father a captain in the army. Nesbitt M'Cron was educated for the medical profession, but his taste for amateur theatricals led him to the stage. He stood 5ft 10in in height, very erect in gait, and walked as if on parade. His voice was powerful and melodious. My thirty-years' friend, John Bennett, whose life-long experience of actors ought to make him a judge, says that Nesbitt's voice was the most musical that he ever heard.

M'Cron 's resolution to adopt the stage as a profession was distasteful to his family, but he had made his choice and was determined on following it. Under his second name, Nesbitt, he became a member of a travelling company in Ireland, in the course of which he met G.V. Brooke and Barry Sullivan. Of both these great actors Nesbitt spoke in the warmest terms of friendship and affection. After touring England, Nesbitt struck Scotland, where he met Gordon Griffiths, who subsequently came to Sydney. From Glasgow, in 1840, Nesbitt returned to Ireland, at the request of his relatives, who still thought to wean him from the stage. During a visit to Cork he met Miss Annie Mills, the daughter of respectable parents, and wooed her, but the parents objected, not to the man, but to his profession. Failing their consent, Nesbitt eloped with the lady and married her. In 1840 the couple took passages in the ship Marchioness of Bute, and arrived in Sydney on January 7, 1841. Nesbitt brought letters of introduction to several big people. Governor Gipps being among the number. That to the Governor was never delivered; the others secured him a billet as tidewaiter in the Customs, Henry Parkes occupying a similar billet about the same time. A quarrel with a superior officer induced him to throw up the appointment. In checking cargo Nesbitt wished to sit, the superior officer ordered him to stand, and Mr. Nesbitt 'cut and run.' Failing to get other employment, Nesbitt joined the police force, and for a part of one night walked 'a beat' in Sydney streets. He resigned in the morning.

At that time Mr. Joseph Simmons was manager of the Victoria Theatre, and to him went Mr. Nesbitt. As the latter had been brought up in the south of Ireland he had just “the last taste of the brogue” on his tongue, but could, when he pleased, lay, aside the 'accent.' While conversing with Mr. Simmons, Nesbitt unconsciously used the brogue, which set Mr. Simmons, a Hebrew with a "lisp," in roaring laughter. The idea of playing Hamlet with an Irish brogue tickled the fancy of the Hebrew manager. Mr. Nesbitt, however, gave 'Rolla's address to the Peruvians' in a style and in an accent never before heard by Mr. Simmons. There was no trace of brogue, and the Hebrew, who could tell a good thing when he saw it, immediately closed with the new actor, who had dropped unheralded amongst them. The play of 'Pizzaro' was in rehearsal, Mr. Simmons being the Rolla, but he generously gave up the part to Nesbitt. There was but a peer attendance, but by the time half price had arrived the people in the street heard that a genius was playing at the Vic., and the house became crowded. Nesbitt next appeared as Richard III, crowding the house for fourteen nights, an unprecedented run for Shakespeare at such a time, and a distinct tribute to the great merits of the actor. His list of characters during this engagement consisted of William Tell, Rolla, Othello, Macbeth, Richard III, Sir Giles Overreach, Octavian, Sir Edward Mortimer, and Virginius. As indicating Mr. Nesbitt's real character, it may be mentioned that when he accepted the engagement with Simmons, Mr. Conrad Knowles, who had left the pulpit for the staged held such parts as Hotspur, Mercutio, Hamlet, The Stranger, Falconbridge, and such. These Nesbitt would not play, not from any fear of comparison, but from a sense of Justice towards the other actor.

In 1841 Mr. Wyatt went to England in search of talent, and made some engagements. I think he was absent when Nesbitt was engaged, but early in 1842 the first contingent arrived. This consisted of John Gordon Griffiths, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Deering (the parents of Olly Deering and Mrs. W. B. Gill), and Mr. and Mrs. Mereton (the first-named selected as Mr. Simmons' successor in the management). After a time came Madame Carendini, Mrs. Stirling (afterwards Mrs.Guerin, and now the widow of Richard Stewart, and mother of Richard, Docy, Nellie, and Maggie Stewart, who have all reached success upon the colonial stage), and Frank and John Howson. These came from Hobart Town. Then followed Madame Torning, Mr, James and Madame Louise, Mr. and Mrs. George Coppin and others making the Victoria company a particularly strong one. Of all these, but George Coppin, at 85, remains. Long may he remain!

Nesbitt remained with the company, and 'Coriolanus' was put into rehearsal; but Nesbitt's 'weakness' overtook him, and John Gordon Griffiths performed the part. Nesbitt then crossed the Tasman Sea to Van Diemen's Land; and played at the old Albion Theatre, Launceston, and at the Victoria, Hobart Town, for several seasons. He then crossed to Melbourne, where he secured an engagement at the old Queen's Theatre, in Queen-street, built by John Thomas Smith, the Melbourne Whittington, differing only from Dick in as much as Dicky was but thrice Lord Mayor of London, whereas John Thomas Smith was seven times Mayor of Melbourne. Mr. Nesbitt's liking for strong drinks was a source of constant worry to his managers.

(To be continued.)