In 1877 American Theatrical producer extraordinaire Augustin Daly brought his entire acting company to Paris. Something that was both daring and really stupid. It was the first appearance of an entire company of American actors in that city. The Parisian critics were at a loss as to what to make of them, and since few of them spoke English, reviews of the performances themselves were hardly possible. Some of the critics contented themselves with reviewing the clothes of the audience members, some with lapsing into reminisces of attempts upon the capitol by other countries. The Univers Illustre revived pleasant recollections of the mobbing of an English Company which had appeared in Othello in 1822 at the Porte Saint Martin, the performers being pelted with potatoes, broken pipes and sous, one of which struck an actress in the face and caused her to faint. A force of gendarmes appeared on the stage, but the audience hurled chairs at them, then, at the charge sounded by one of the rioters on a drum in the orchestra, the mob leaped over the footlights. The actors rallied to drive them back, and a hand to hand conflict ensued, terminating in the retreat of the English, covered in wounds. from The Life of Augustin Daly.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:11:22 +0000
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