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®|e ^Carpet it:THE ORGAN OP AMUSEMENTSPUBLISHED DAILY.For atnofcdncnt. tor plo:.*nro for profitMr. George Coppin.(Continvrd,)In December, 1853, the well-known comedian, Mr George Coppin, while playing a most successful season at the Theatre Royal. Geelong, conceived the idea of taking a trip to England. After laying the foundation stone of the first. Masonic hall and opening a new lodge in that city, he took hia passage in the clipper-built ship, *' Statesman, that was then loading at Point Henry. At his farewell benefit, aa Mr William Barlow, he informed bia hearers— In the ROtil ship, ths Rtstc*man, I’m snre for to go,Por n trip to old Englnnlt;l, twv.« Billy Barlow. His plans were, however, somewhat disarranged, as a day or two before the time of her intended departure she caught lire, and her sailing date was in consequence considerably delayed. However, after a short visit to Adelaide to wind up some of his affairs in that township, Mr Coppin sailed for London, arriving there either in May 01 Juno, 1854. At that, time an engagement or an appearance at a West end of London Theatre was almost a matter of impossibility, nnless you were admitted into the charmed circle. The theatres west of Temple Bar were to all intents close boroughs to strangers or those who had not worked themselves into “the ring.” With eommendnble ambition our“Aus-tralian comedian desired that which is the aim of every actor or actress—a “London appearance. At that period the Anglo-French-HuFsian war broke out and was exciting considerable uneasiness all over the world. Not being able to accomplish his desire in any other way, he hit upon the expedient as notified in the following advcrtiFcment which appeared in most of the London papers.—THEATRE ROYAL, HAY MARKET.L' ndrr the pntrouuge of Au-trrdinn color i-t; ami Mnjor the ITon. II. C. Powys.7l proctfil' to hr oin-n for •},, w-/.;,..r7 of (hr irri .«of ml diet'* o it it mi Ion tr,gaped in thtirur,TII18F.VRN1NCi. JUNE '-*1;. U.VI, Blouehe'fl OrniHv. entitledKNIGHTS or the ROUND TABLEIn which Mi~r. Biickstone.f'ouijiton.Geo.Ynn-lenhoiY. W. Kurren, Howe. Ol'ijipen-tlnle. Sir- I'it/wihinin, Mi.-*- Reynold*.11ml XIR. Grey wi;i appear.Alter which,—T HE Y O U Nt) K I N G—la which Mr OOPPin. the Aa«tmH(in com-cdluu, wl I iimkc hl.i t’rut Appearance in London. as the Mayor, M. l’nttii.Philip (the yor.iK- kinp). Mifc- C. Howard.To conclude with the Tarcc,THE T U R N P 1 K E (5 A T ECrock the cobbler......Mr CornsPcgw......MisH Ftt Alii ER6TO.NRThe criticisms of dramatic performances were then of the most meagre description in almost all the London newspapers, but those that did notice the performance on that evening spoke in unqualified term:- of the abilities of the 44 Australian comedian. On this particular evening Mr Coppin bad a great opposition to contend with in the tact iha» a bencfi! was being given at. flic Princess's I heat re to Mr Charles Kean, then in the zenith of his fame, both as an actor and a manager. He (Mr Charles Kean) appeared himself in the principal part in •* The Courier of Lyons, and had in bis company such excellent artistes as Mias Heath (now Mrs Wilson Barrett), Miss Rose Ternan, Miss C'nrlotta Leolerq (who afterwards became the wife of the late John Nelson), and Miss Terry: Messrs .lames Yining, Addison, Davicl Fisher, Cathcart, and baker. Another opposition wasatthe Adclphi Theatre whichthen had for proprietor Mr B. Webster, and directress, Madame Celeste. The piece produced there was the late Tom Taylor’s play,“ Masks and Faces, the orincipal part9 being sustained by Messrs Webster, I.eigh Murray, Paul Bedford, Madame Celeste and Miss Woolgar (now the widow of the late Mr A'fred Mellon). The Lyceum too was open under the management of Madame Vestris, with Messrs Charles and Frank Matthews and an excellent light-comedy and extravaganza company engaged; and also at the little Olympic, w ith the late Mr Alf. Wigan as lessee and manager, the comedy of “ Hush Money and the farces of A Model of a Wife aDd 44 The Wandering Minstrel was the programme then presented. In the latter place Mr Fred Robson, the greatest, comedian of the present century, appeared as Jnw Boggn. Against all these attractions and the great difficulties with which he bad to contend in getting a show, Mr Coppin tought bravely, and if he did not succeed in anything else, be obtained sufficient publicity to get himself talked about.It was during this visit to the “ old country that Mr Coppin succeeded in inducing the late Mr G. V. Brooke to visit this country, and also made overtures to, and was successful in obtaining the services of, Miss Fanny Cathcart (afterwards Mrs Robert Ileir and subsequently Mrs George Darrell), Mr llichard W. Younge, and the late Mr Robert Heir, for a lengthened engagement. for the Australian colonics. He also opened communications with the late Professor Anderson, “ wizard of the north, who shortly nficr visited Australia with his acting secretary and Treasurer, Mr J. F. iSuttou, now holding a similar position with Mr Frederic Maccabe, who is at present performing at St. George's Hall, Melbourne. In after years several of the artists above - mentioned, and with whom during his 9tay in London in 1854 Mr Coppin must have been more or less brought in contact with, visited Melbourne under his agency or management. Notably, Mrand MrsCharles Kean, who arrived in this colony in the latter part of 1883; Madame Celeste, who opened at the liaymarket Theatre, Melbourne, as Miriam, in The Woman in Red, on the 12th of January, 1867 ; and later on the late Mr Charles Mathews, who made his first Australian appearance at the Theatre Royal ns Mr Mojmx in the comedy of “ Married for Money, on the DLh of April, 1870.It may be mentioned also that during his rbit to England above alluded to, Mr Coppin perfected arrangements in Birmingham for the making and sending out to Melbourne the materials for building an iron theatre, which was afterwards erected at the corner of Lonsdale and Stephen streets, and named Coppin’« Olympic, but the visitors, especially in summer, gave it the nick-name, The Iron Pot Such iH the episode connected with Mr Cop-pin’s first appearance on the London stage.On Dit.The attention of our readers is directed to an announcement in another column of Ye Old English Fayre, to be opened at the Melbourne Town Ilall on the 13th inst. and continued until :hc 17m. The hall will be laid out to represent n street of one of the quaint old Jtnglish villages at which the long-time-! normal fair is being held, and will present a very novel and attractive appearance.A Fact.—Firewood—Two tons 1 ft.. 2Is (delivered); two tons 2 ft., 18s (delivered); two tons 1 ft. spill box, 24s (delivered): box blocks, 10jd per cwt. (delivered) ; bakers1 wood, i)Jd per cwt. (delivered). Coal— 25s per ton (delivered). I). Chambers, lower level siding, Spencer sireet.Where do you sup I Where do you dine? Always at. Drew’s No. 1 Coffee Palace, directly opposite the Wax Works.
Newspaper Details
Melbourne Lorgnette
Melbourne, Victoria, AU
Fri, Dec 02, 1881
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Alexander M.
AU 12 Dec 2022
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