Michael Clancy, M.D. (blind actor and playwright) / [T. Percy C. Kirkpatrick].

  • Percy Kirkpatrick
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Michael Clancy, M.D. (blind actor and playwright) / [T. Percy C. Kirkpatrick]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    performance. This, which is believed to be the earliest known Dublin playbill, we are able to reproduce through the kindness of Miss Lillian A. Hall, custodian of that collection. When introducing the play in the Memoirs Clancy tells us that it was “ writ in the year 1737, and was never before published. It was five times acted in Smock Alley The only other performance of which we have found any record was advertised in the Dublin Journal for Saturday, April 22, 1738 :— u The new comedy called the Sharper, which was to have been per¬ formed on Monday the 17th of this instant, but was deterred on account of the indisposition of a principal actor, will be performed on Thursday the 27th of this instant April, at the Theatre in Smock Alley, with a Farce called the Stage-Coach, and a new Prologue on the occasion. The last time the Comedy was acted there was the greatest appearance of nobility and gentry that ever was seen at any play in this Kingdom. Tickets given out for Monday the 17th will be taken on Thursday the 27th instant.” We have not found any record of the new prologue. The author’s benefit performance on January 25th was attended with some disturbance, which led to the following advertisement in the Dublin News Letter for January 31, 1738 :— u Whereas several evil-minded persons, at the Author’s benefit on Wednesday, the 25th instant, did in a riotous and tumultuous manner, assault many of the servants belonging to the Theatre in Smock Alley, broke down the gallery door, and most of the lamps and windows thereof, together with two of the public lights, and notwithstanding a detachment from the Alain Guard came, and made diligent search for such rioters, none of them were found out. This is to give notice, that if any person or persons will discover the persons so offending, so that he, or they, may be legally convicted of any of the offences aforesaid, Mr. Lewis Duvall, master of the said Theatre, doth hereby promise a reward of three pounds sterling, for each offender convicted as aforesaid.” We do not know if the reward was earned. On the title page of the play, as printed in the Memoirs, it is stated that it was acted “ by His Majesty’s Company of Comedians ”, while the playbill states that it was “ by the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor’s Company of Comedians ”. The playbill mentions also “ the Prologue to be spoke by Mr. Este ”, and “ a new Epilogue, spoke by Mrs. Ravenscroft, in the character of Susannah Dairy ”. In the Dramatis Personee of the printed play the part of Susannah Dairy is given to Mrs. Pasquilini. Mr. Lawrence has explained the discrepancy by the fact that subsequent to the acting of the play Mrs. Ravenscroft had married again, this time to “ a fascinating Italian musician, one Signor Pasqualini, and had left the stage ”. The Prologue, by Mr. Arbuckle, is printed with the play, but there is not any mention of the new Epilogue. In spite of the troubles during the production of The Sharper the returns from the box-office seem to have been sufficiently good to induce Clancy to continue in his efforts to earn a living as a playwright. The following advertisement appears in Faulkner’s Dublin Journal for January 22-25, 1740:— “ A new tragedy, called Tamer Prince of Nubia, which was to have been acted at the Theatre Royal in Aungier Street on Monday the 28th of this instant, is at the desire of several persons of quality, further deferred on account of the excessive cold weather. . . . The' author of
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