- Museum number
- 1867,0112.18
- Title
- Object: Feast of the board of management.
- Description
-
Plate from the magazine. A satire on Drury Lane Theatre. The Board consists of three men at a table, almost covered by four large dishes, each containing an article of food with a portrait head. On the farther side sits Sheridan, ladling guineas towards his grinning and avid mouth. Facing him is Tom Sheridan, identified by a pamphlet, 'Caractacus', in his coat-pocket, and, opposite him, the President of the Board, as in No. 11079. These two turn towards the foremost of a number of hungry dogs with human heads; the latter beckons to him, while Tom feeds him with a cheque or note of 100£. Another dog, its collar inscribed 'John Bull' [1803], showing that he is Colman, turns away, but looks distrustfully over his shoulder at the pair. There are six others. T. Sheridan draws furtively from the pocket in the tail of his coat a purse, for which a (normal) dog begs, seated on an open book, 'The World' [first played at Drury Lane 31 Mar. 1808], showing that he is James Kenney. Beside the book are scattered papers inscribed 'Rejected Plays &c.', at which two dogs with human heads sniff and paw. One has a collar inscribed 'Carlo' [from 'The Caravan', see No. 10172, &c.], and is probably F. Reynolds. A man, resembling Wroughton in No. 11079, approaches the table, a napkin under his arm, carrying a large tureen inscribed 'Water Grue and containing plays: 'World!' [Kenney], 'Siege of St Quintin' [by T. Hook, first played Drury Lane 10 Nov. 1808], 'Travellers' [by Andrew Cherry, music by Corri, first played Drury Lane, 14 Jan. 1806], 'Venoni' ['or, The Novice of St. Mark's'] (by M. G. Lewis, first played Drury Lane, 1 Dec. 1808). The dishes on the table are 'Toad in a Hole, Turtle, Calfs Head Surprse [sic]', and 'Barbicued Pig'. Under the table (right) is a pile of papers, or books in shadow at which mice or rats are nibbling. These are the neglected classics, and are inscribed 'Jonson', 'Shakesp . . .', 'Beaumont and Fletch . . .' The room is panelled.
1 February 1809
Etching and aquatint
- Production date
- 1809
- Dimensions
-
Height: 204 millimetres
-
Width: 355 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
In 1808-9 the management of Drury Lane (here depicted as a family concern) is said to have gone by default under the nominal supervision of the Board: Wroughton had some sort of managerial function but 'was obliged to yield to the 'superior' knowledge of the "board of management"'. An improvement in the Board was announced by advertisement at the beginning of the season; all desirous of submitting new plays were to apply to the secretary, Charles Ward (husband of Jane Linley). Oulton, 'Hist. of the English Theatre', 1818, i. 161-4. The hungry dogs are evidently playwrights, including the authors of the plays pilloried. S. J. Arnold and Dimond are probably also there. On 24 Feb. 1809 the theatre was burned down. For the perennial theme of the neglect of good plays see No. 10796, &c.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1867
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1867,0112.18
