Rich writes to the Managers of the Theatre in Drury Lane, undated, confirming that he has in his service as a dresser Mrs. Eliz Bubb; includes the signatures of two witnesses.
In Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (#1983-0064R/VF 9-2) The Highfill-Langhans-Burnim Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, etc. lists Mrs Bubb as fl. 1723-1727 on the basis of a benefit at Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1723 and a further account book entry in 1727 (as well as some other traces, but not this letter). Chances are that this letter is not much earlier than the fall of 1722 and probably comes before her benefit date of 31 May 1723. On 12 April 1722 the managements of both theatres had signed a cartel agreement not to hire performers from one another without permission from both sets of managers ("agreement" Rich refers to). This consultation process allowed them to control costs and prevented actors from playing one salary offer off against another, and they enforced it rigorously. As written, the agreement did not cover non-performing personnel, who were not, as a rule, of concern. Mrs Bubb had evidently attempted to change theatres, and this is Rich's acknowledgement that she was his employee. Her benefit night in 1723 was advertised as being "on account of arrears." This phrase suggests that Rich owed her money which he was willing for her to try to collect this way but, not wishing to set a precedent that would allow individual benefits to dressers or other low-level employees, he phrased the ad to make clear that this was a special case. (On the cartel, see Milhous and Hume, "The London Theatre Cartel of the 1720s, " Theatre Survey 26 (1985): 21-37.)
Part Of
Theatre history collection
Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Ximenes, 1983.
Biographical or Historical Sketch
Already an actor and manager, John Rich inherited a share of the Lincoln's Inn Theatre from his father in 1714, and used it to stage lavish productions designed to overwhelm the senses. His success with John Gay's A Beggar's Opera allowed him to open the new theatre at Covent Garden in 1732. Rich introduced pantomime to English stage, playing the part of Harlequin himself, under the name of Lun; the innovation allowed him to compete with the established theatre at Drury Lane. A successful and important impresario in his day, he is remembered for spectacular productions and confrontations with actors and rival theatres.
Binding notes
Housed in ShareBox 102 boxShare102 GST/P/2/3 c.1 (Archival/Manuscript Material) bound in ShareBox 102
