Curiosa: Tragical-historical-comical-pastoral ...

[nebroadwe]

From a nineteenth-century playbill advertising a "Comic, Heroic, Operatic, Tragic, Pantomimic, Burlesque, Burletta Spectacular Parody, under the Title of DON GIOVANNI" at the Royal Circus and Surrey Theatre on 1 February 1819 (during the ill-fated tenure of Dibdin as manager):

THE SCENERY (having most of it appeared before) has been (of course) already received with unbounded acclamations of Applause, and will be repeated as often as the Manager can write Pieces to introduce it. The views are intended to represent several Places in and near the city of Seville (in Spain); with (by way of Pictorial Episode) a fine Scene of Blackfriars Bridge, taken in the Circus. There will also be a New Moon, which is expected to be full about the time of Half Price.

The DRESSES are as good as the Proprietor can possibly afford; and The PROPERTIES are of very little use to any but the Owner.

Also, at the end of the cast list it is indicated that THE MARBLE HORSE will be portrayed "BY A REAL PONEY; (except in the 2d Scene of Act II.) when, being made of Wood, it can only be said to live in the Reputation of the Painter." I can't think why Dibdin wasn't more successful; his jokes aren't any worse than those of his contemporaries and he seems to have a proper sense of economy.

Must have at my "the Ember Island Players in the postwar era" story at some point.