FITZBALL

[Frederick Yates, actor-manager of the Adelphi Theatre.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Fred. H. Yates.'), accusing actor Thomas Cooke of breaking his word by mounting a production of Fitzball's 'Red Rover', whose copyright he owns, outside Edinburgh.

Author: 
Frederick Yates [Frederick Henry Yates] (1797-1842), actor and proprietor with Charles Mathews of the Adelphi Theatre, London, husband of Elizabeth Brunton [Thomas Potter Cooke (1786-1864), actor]
Publication details: 
18 January 1830. 'Theatre Royal | Adelphi' [London].
£120.00

3pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with closed tears and thin vertical strip of paper on reverse of second leaf, which carries a seal in black wax and Yates's address to 'T. P. Cooke Esqre. | 28 Manchester Street | Manchester Square'. An interesting letter regarding a Victorian stage dispute. In an understated style, Yates makes a serious accusation: Cooke has broken his word over the manuscript of Fitzball's play 'The Red Rover' (Yates had produced the piece with himself in the title role in 1828, and would do so again in 1831).

[ Edward Fitzball, writer of melodramas. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Fitzball') to an unnamed recipient, regarding changes to the last scene of his play 'The Haunted Hulk'.

Author: 
Edward Fitzball (1792-1873), English playwright specialising in melodrama [ Benjamin Nottingham Webster (1797-1882), actor-manager ]
Publication details: 
'Monday Evng.' [ London?, 1831. ]
£56.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He has had a conversation with 'Tomkins', and as a consequence has 'made a few alterations in the last scene of the "Hulk"'. He asks him to read the last scene and 'manage, if possible, to get the Prompter's Copy set right before the reading of the Piece'. He feels his changes make the play 'more original, and more likely to render the Piece effective'. With postscript. 'The Haunted Hulk', a Nautical Drama in two Acts was performed at the Adelphi in 1831.

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