American Revolutionary Times Begin

American Revolutionary Times Begin

1775 This is the year the American Revolution* breaks out (which, of course, puts a crimp in American theatrical activities.) England, being busy with international mercantile affairs, hires 29,000 German mercenaries to cope with the Americans.

In England there is a technological breakthrough when the high-grade steel (produced by Benjamin Huntsman's invention of crucible steel in the 1750's) enables the great ironmaster James Wilkinson* to cut iron accurately to within a few millimeters. This kind of precision will make possible the next important step in producing power, the steam engine.

1775 - With the outbreak of the Revolution, the Continental Congress calls for a cessation of theatrical entertainments. During the Revolution there are no professional performances, but both British and American soldiers entertain themselves with plays.

Douglass* moves his troupe to Jamaica (remember him? He runs The American Company* of English actors.) Amateur playwrights flourish, penning mostly propaganda, generally against the British, but Robert Munford* writes a play called The Patriots*, which satirizes the "super patriots" who see every opponent as an enemy agent.

1775 - In France Beaumarchais* (1732-99) finally gets a production of his comedy, The Barber of Seville*, performed at the Comedie Francaise*. It was originally supposed to be a play with music for the Italian company, but their leading player thought it made fun of him (he had been a barber) so that didn't work. After Beaumarchais* reworks the piece it is finally seen on the stage. It is a terrific success.

1775 - In England an Irish-born dramatist, Richard Brinsley Sheridan* (1751-1816) gets his first play, The Rivals*, put on at Covent Garden*. It is an immediate success and will continue to be popular. He is a professional theatre man and will buy a share in Garrick*'s Drury Lane* where the rest of his theatrical output will be produced. He writes farces, comic operas and, in 1777 (see below), the masterpiece of the English Comedy of Manners*, The

School For Scandal*, as well as one of the best burlesques, The Critic: or, a Tragedy Rehears'd* (1779.)

1775 - In Germany the first state theatre is founded at Gotha* from the leftover members of the earlier Hamburg National Theatre* company.

1776 In England the new process for producing iron (Darby's reverberatory furnace) is so successful that this year the first cast-iron bridge is built at Coalbrookdale, over the River Severn.

1776 - In Germany Emperor Joseph II* establishes the Imperial and National theatre in Vienna, better known as the Burgtheater*. They use the organization and procedures of the Comedie Francaise* as a pattern for running it. Generous state support means that they can hire the best people for this company. This is the year that Friedrich M. Klinger* comes out with his play, Sturm und Drang*

.In Russia, Catherine II* starts a pension system for actors in the state theatres. The French painter, Jean Honore Fragonard* (1732-1806) is busy turning out his work. 1777 - In England this is the year Richard Brinsley Sheridan* comes out with The School For

Scandal*. It has all of the wit of the Restoration comedies but leaves out the coldly calculated hanky-panky and pride in fooling around. The role of Lady Teazle* becomes one of the plums for every English actress to aspire to. True love and respect triumph and wickedness is punished.

1777 - The German actor and dramatist, August Wilhelm Iffland* (1759-1814) joins the actor-manager Ekhof in Gotha. He goes with the company the following year to Hamburg and the National Theatre. There his early plays are terrifically successful but not memorable. He is more influential as an actor and training actors in serious acting style.

1778 The Franco-American alliance is signed this year (to be followed next year by another alliance between America and Spain and some help from Holland.) This brings French troops and ships into the American Revolution and puts England in the position of being threatened in her dominance of the seas. The French are exposed to the liberating ideas of Locke*'s philosophy of natural right being put into practice. They will go home and try something similar in France.

1779 - In Germany, the third state theatre, the Court and National theatre, is started up in Mannheim (The ruler becomes the Elector of Bavaria and moves his court to Munich. Establishing the theatre is sort of a consolation prize to the city to compensate for losing the court there.) This theatre will become one of Germany's best. After this (throughout the 1780s,) state theatres pop up all over Germany. Some of the most prominent ones will be in Cologne, Mainz, Salzburg, Weimar and Passau.

In Russia Catherine The Great* establishes an acting school. 1781 The American Revolution* is over this year with the British forces surrendering at

Yorktown. It will take two years to hammer out a treaty.

1779 - The German playwright, Lessing,* comes out with his blank verse effort, Nathan the Wise*.

1780s In Italy Luigi Galvani* is exploring electricity and animals. 1782 - With the American war over, professional performances resume. John Henry* (who

had been with The American Company* earlier) does a single act in Philadelphia, but it will take a few years to overcome the antitheatre resolution of The Continental Congress.

1782 In music, Haydn* and Mozart* are busy composing. In France the Montgolfier* brothers construct an air balloon. In England, the woman novelist, Fanny Burney* (1752- 1840,) comes out with her second novel, Cecilia*.

1780's - In England new actors are coming along. These actors will affect theatrical production in the United States as well as at home. In order to rise economically, the normal way of doing things is to have the whole family involved in the same trade or profession. It is less usual to find this in the theatre since the profession is notoriously risky financially.

One of the prominent theatrical families to descend on London at this time are the Kembles. 1782 marks the London debut (as "Hamlet" at Drury Lane*) of John Philip Kemble* (1757- 1823). He will have a long and impressive career acting tragic roles as well as managing both Drury Lane* and Covent Garden*. His parents (Roger and Sarah) are players and manage a company in the provinces. He has three brothers and four sisters who are also on the stage. His sister, Sarah Siddons* (1755-1831, she had married actor William Siddons while playing with her parents' company) makes her successful London appearance this year, too. The other theatrical Kemble siblings are brothers Charles*, Stephen, and Henry and sisters, Frances, Anne, and Elizabeth*. The only one of these who makes a significant mark is Elizabeth* (or Eliza) Whitlock* (1761-1836,) who emigrates with her husband to America. John Philip Kemble* and Sarah Siddons* lead in establishing a restrained, classical mode of acting that, through Elizabeth* Whitlock* will affect American theater for years.

In France, the pantomimes have become more melodramatic and include dialogue. They have mood music under scenes of innocence persecuted and rescued from villainy.