Theatrical Accommodations and Practices
The greatest space for the audience was in tlie pit and galleries;
many attending, however, desired more conspicuous or more exclusive
locations. Naturally, the managers, as well as actors concerned over tlieir
forthcoming benefit performances, were equally desirous of extracting the
most money possible from the theatre-goers. Reconciliation oftliese motiva-
taons
was achieved by creating additional seating arrangements wliicli
Would be botli ostentatious and expensive. The simplest metliod was to
convert some sections of the pit into boxes; the only place for expansion
Would be to occupy some of the precious space on tlie apron of the stage.
Furthermore, a liandful could be squeezed into the orchestra. Consequently,
special boxes were constructed on the apron.
The tlieatres made a practice of being quite specific in tlieir bills about
;°mc of these arrangements. For example, at Drury Fane on 19 February
customary
a benefit at t
؛
and boxes were put together
؟
؛هل:ا :
: arge of five shillings; on 3 Marclt 1730 three rows of pit benches were
ailud into" the boxes, with tire enclosure of two rows a common occurrence
to be "laid togetlier.”
January 1733 the pit and front boxes
2
,
e custom of augmenting capacity by providing accommotlations on tire
was also 311 inconvenience. At
a source of added incom
؛ل
ئ
L١ne, 25 Marclr 1735) a “few Side-Boxes [were
)) :: :
hull
but no
of the
Stage for tire ,better A٠cconrm
٠٠
١٠
Seats, to prevent any interruption in tire Perfornrancc.” At The Relapse
tlrat "The Seats upon
in the fall , of 1729 it was announ
La
'th Dr
e Stage will be enclosed." The Goodnran’s Fields house in Ayliffe Street
s Very Small, and the advent oflarge crowds prompted Giffard to building
Advertiser , 12 Sep
)’؛,؛
on tire Stag
boxes but also “Ba
At Lincoln Inn Fields on 13 May t73t, a benefit notice
م
treasurer, read "Proper Accommodations will be made upon
؛لليهه :
th
at Drury
benefi
by S^ats and Scaffolding." For Mrs Ol
ل
March 1729 there was such an extraordinary demand for places
٥
were put on the stage and enclosed to keep the ladies from
b ; hen
of the stage was formed into side
"g cold, and on 20 April 1737 pa