EVERY MANAGER HIS OWN PUNCH.
WE are anxious for the autobiography of the Manager of the Little Haymarket. We hope to see him out yet—in order to read of his high doings with the Press. Oh the hero! what pages he will assign to the grand act of putting an extinguisher on the Globe !— . " Aug. 23d. On this day I gave orders to my stage-manager, to give the word to my confidential second box-officer, to put a stop to the circu- lation of the Globe in my sphere. To be sure, I could ill afford an heroic act of the kind; but the right way with the Press is to show spirit, as the Newspapers can do me no harm: my houses are already empty—can these vil- '1anow, Editors Make them more so •) It is very true—the Press is powerless on inanity. What could • a steam-engine do upon an exhausted receiver?
"The Choleric Man," as performed at the Haymarket, may be .judged of by the following critique- " If it were not for the notion of the cholera, we might be induced to recom- mend the fiery proprietor and manager of the Haymarket Theatre to swallow an ice or two this warm weather. Would it be believed that this extraordinary person, because our opinion of the representation of the Hunchback on Monday 'list did not entirely please him (for be it known, gentle reader, it was alto- gether very favourable), has not only withdrawn his ticket—which, however ridiculous, he had a right to do ; but has deemed himself entitled to perform a mixture of ancient Pistol and Bobadil in this office—which he had no right to do • at all. Does this unreasonable individual think that we ale to be bribed by his ticket into unqualified panegyric of his theatre ; or that we have nothing to do in the dog-days but to be suffocated night after night in the Haymarket Theatre? -the company of which, by the way, we think generally very able, and have uniformly said so. If such 41 our readers as interest themselves in these matters will only turn to last Tuesday's Globe, they will see the remarks which have produced this rampant manager's ire' and judge 'for themselves. One thing alone we regret—that no editorial person was present to give a due reception to his vulgar abuse at this place, which on a former occasion was excused and passed over from a losing and pas-
• sionate man. As to the rest, every body knows which side is more benefited by theatrical indulgence to the press; and we must inform Mr. Morris that we regard the abstraction of his ticket with the profound indifference and contempt to which the act, and still more the manner of it, are so justly entitled."— Globe, Friday, August 24.
We have turned to the Tuesday's Globe ; and, much to our astonishment, have . found an elaborate critique, dealing much in .comparison, but not at all in censure. What would this Punch of a- Manager have? Has he been intoxicated with undeserved praise, and is he running a muck among the critics ? or is he only banging up the Globe in terrorem? Managers of theatres are naturally desirous that reports of their proceedings should be presented to the public, not in dry adver- tisements, but as seen through the eyes of men of talent and ex- perience. A critique written by an able and experienced playgoer, should it be favourable, is worth a thousand advertisements : if unfavourable, it is an early and gentle hint to the manager—better than a series of empty houses.
It is with these views that admissions are given to the critics of the Press—gratis—literally, gratis, that is, a gift with thanks. Managers of course take their chance: they ask for judges and reporters, and they have generally reason to be satisfied. The Newspapers would lose nothing if the Theatres were swallowed by an earthquake to-morrow : the Theatres would lose more than half of the air they breathe by the extinction of the Press. But here is the Little Haymarket man, who, because his show-box is empty, demands not a critic, but a trumpeter; and, it seems, has had the folly to suppose that he was paying the trumpeter's wages by an ukase of free admission for the season. Oh, the vanity of these kings for the night—these emperors behind the scenes! The Manager, taking pattern by the Frankfort decree, has deter- mined on putting down the freedom of the Haymarket Press; and finds the Press—on their knees?—no—laughing at the diabolical exploits of il vero polichinello.
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