A History of Pantomime

A History of Pantomime

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Broadbent
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Title: A History of Pantomime
Author: R. J. Broadbent
Release Date: September 15, 2004 [eBook #13469]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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A HISTORY OF PANTOMIME
by
R. J. BROADBENT
Author of "STAGE WHISPERS," etc.
LONDON:

TO
WILLIAM WADE, ESQUIRE.
This book is dedicated as a small token of the Author's esteem and
regard.
R.J.B.

PREFACE.
One of the most important factors in the making of Theatrical History
has been that of Pantomime, yet in many of the published works
dealing with the History of the Stage it has, with the exception of a
passing reference here and there, been much neglected.
It is with a view of conveying to the reading public some little, and,
perhaps, new information about this ancient form of entertainment that
I am tempted to issue this History of Pantomime in the hope and belief
that it may not only prove interesting, but also instructive, to all lovers
of the Stage.
R.J.B.
Liverpool, December, 1901.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Origin of Pantomime

CHAPTER II.
Origin of Tragedy and Comedy--Mythology--The meaning of the word
Pantomime--The origin of Harlequin, Columbine, Clown, and
Pantaloon--Grecian Mythology--Transformation Scenes--The rise of
Grecian Tragedy and Comedy--The Satirical Drama

CHAPTER III.
The origin of the Indian Drama--Aryan Mythology--Clown and
Columbine--Origin of the Chinese Drama--Inception of the Japanese
Drama--The Siamese Drama--Dramatic performances of the South Sea
Islanders, Peruvians, Aztecs, Zulus, and Fijis--The Egyptian Drama

CHAPTER IV.
"Dancing," _i.e._ Pantomime--Grecian Dancing and Pantomimic
Scenes--Aristotle--Homer--Dances common to both Greeks and
Romans

CHAPTER V.
Thespis--The Progress of Tragedy and Comedy--Aeschylus--The
Epopée--Homer--Sophocles--Euripides--Grecian Mimes--The First
Athenian Theatre--Scenery and Effects

CHAPTER VI.
Roman Theatres--Description--"Deadheads"--Pantomime in
Italy--Livius Andronicus--_Fabulae Atellanae_--Extemporal
Comedy--Origin of the Masque, Opera, and Vaudeville--Origin of the
term Histrionic--Etruscans--Popularity of Pantomime in
Italy--Pantomimists banished by Trajan--Nero as a Mime--Pylades and
Bathyllus--Subjects chosen for the Roman Pantomimes--The
Ballet--The Mimi and
_Pantomimi_--_Archimimus_--Vespasian--Harlequin--"Mr.
Punch"--Zany, how the word originated--Ancient Masks--Lucian,
Cassiodorus, and Demetrius in praise of Pantomime--A celebrated
_Mima_--Pantomimes denounced by early writers--The purity of the
English stage contrasted with that of the Grecian and Roman--Female
parts on the Grecian and Roman stages--The principal Roman
_Mimas_--The origin of the Clown of the early English Drama

CHAPTER VII.
Introduction of the Roman Pantomimic Art into Britain--First English
reference to the word Pantomime--The fall of the Roman Empire--The
sacred play--Cornish Amphitheatres--Pantomimical and Lyrical
elements in the sacrifice of the Mass--Christian banishment of the
_Mimis_--Penalties imposed by the Church--St. Anthony on Harlequin
and Punch--Vandenhoff--what we owe to the Mimis

CHAPTER VIII.
Pantomime in the English Mystery or Miracle Plays and Pageants--A
retrospect of the Early Drama--Mysteries on Biblical events--Chester,
Coventry, York, and Towneley Mystery Plays--Plays in
Churches--Traces of the Mystery Play in England in the Nineteenth
Century--Mystery Plays on the Continent--The Chester series of
Plays--The Devil or Clown and the Exodiarii and Emboliariae of the
Ancient Mimes

CHAPTER IX.
The Clown or Fool of the early English Drama--Moralities--The
Interlude--The rise of English Tragedy and Comedy--"Dumb Shews" in
the Old Plays--Plays suppressed by Elizabeth--A retrospect

CHAPTER X.
The Italian Masque--The Masque in England--First appearance in this
country of Harlequin--Joe Haines as Harlequin--Marlowe's
"Faustus"--A Curious Play--The Italian Harlequin--Colley Cibber,
Penkethman--Shakespeare's Burlesques of the Masque--Decline of the

Masque

CHAPTER XI.
Italian Pantomime--Riccoboni--Broom's
"Antipodes"--Gherardi--Extemporal Comedies--Salvator
Rosa--Impromptu Acting

CHAPTER XII.
Pantomimical Characters--Neapolitan Pantomime--The Harlequin
Family--The Original Characters in the Italian Pantomimes--Celebrated
Harlequins--Italian and French Harlequins--A French view of the
English Clown--Pierrots' origin--Pantaloon, how the name has been
derived--Columbine--Marionette and Puppet Shows

CHAPTER XIII.
Italian Scenarios and English "Platts"--Pantaloon--Tarleton, the
Clown--Extemporal Comedy--The Poet Milton--Ben Jonson--The
Commonwealth--"A Reign of Dramatic Terror"--Robert Cox and his
"Humours" and "Drolleries"--The Restoration

CHAPTER XIV.
Introduction of Pantomimes to the English Stage--Weaver's "History of
the Mimes and Pantomimes"--Weaver's Pantomimes--The prejudice
against Pantomimes--Booth's counsel

CHAPTER XV.
John Rich and his Pantomimes--Rich's Miming--Garrick, Walpole,
Foote--Anecdotes of Rich--Pope--The dance of internals in "Harlequin
Sorcerer"--Drury Lane--Colley Cibber--Henry Fielding, the
Novelist--Contemporary Writers' opinion of Pantomime--Woodward,
the Harlequin--The meaning of the word Actor--Harlequins--"Dr.
Faustus," a description--William Rufus
Chetwood--Accidents--Vandermere, the Harlequin--"Orpheus and
Eurydice" at Covent Garden--A description--Sam. Hoole, the
machinist--Prejudice against Pantomime--Mrs. Oldfield--Robert
Wilks--Macklin--Riot at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre--Death of Rich

CHAPTER XVI.
Joseph Grimaldi

CHAPTER XVII.
Plots of the old form of Pantomimes--A description of "Harlequin and
the Ogress; or the Sleeping Beauty of the Wood," produced at Covent
Garden--Grimaldi, _Père et Fils_--Tom Ellar, the Harlequin, and