Administration and Management
A GALAXY OF PROMOTERS
“I ENDEAVOUR'D to make myself acquainted with the MANAGEMEb
of the THEATRE (which has many parts),)) wrote Theophilus Cibber in the
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over to the New
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fall of 1733, when he led the Drury Lane
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market."» Cibber was not able to follow his sage precept, the truth
of
active and resourceful ca
which is exemplified by studying t
various managers of the London theatres as they assumed their
varie
responsibilities. ,
Not the least interesting aspect of the liistory of the theatre during
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companies. M
managers of the
of th
period is the recor
t
of them were close students of the theatre and of contemporary taste, an ;
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Son^e
ac
themselves by their expe
they distingui
c
ذ
concerned with introducing new acting styles, especially Aaron Hill
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Charles Macklin, who, well in advance of theatrical customs of the f
h
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were ready to make revolutionary changes of.all sorts. Other.s, like Gi
William Hallam, and Fielding were prepared to make gradual or rad
changes in the repertory. Theopliilus Cibber was interested in using ،h; !.
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stage traditions he had absorbed as a member of an acting family an
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eager to present new kinds of plays to a London audience. Giffard develops
what is today called public relations. Far more sensational was Foote a fr
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promoter, with his new techniques in advertising. Iris establishment
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the matinee, and his personalized satires. All were better equipped
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ا
most were as shrewd as
Rich, Highmore, or Fleetwood to cast a play
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in estimating contemporary taste and were prevented only by the enfof
ment
of the Licensing Act ftom making still further contributions t. t re
th
٠
development of the London stage
he
Much of the art of management could be observed at the new ،b
r of
opened the first Good
in Godman’s Fields,. Thomag Odell, w
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2
Fields house, soon relinquished control of tire company to tire Irish
Henry Giffard. For a period of about ten years between 1731 and xlfl hi;
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Giffard managed a regular troupe at either Goodman's Fields or Linc٥٠
118 See A letter from Tbeophilus Cibber , Comedian, to John Highmore (1733). Pamphlet Fj:
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British Museum
lxxx