Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GKBIMAU)!. 5

His new career being highly successful, Mr. Grimaldi was
appointed ballet-master of old Drury Lane Theatre and Sadler's
Wells, with which he coupled the situation of primo buffo ; in
this double capacity he became a very great favourite with the
public, and their majesties, who were nearly every week accus-
tomed to command some pantomime of which Grimaldi was the
hero. He bore the reputation of being a very honest man, and
a very charitable one, never turning a deaf ear to the entreaties
of the distressed, but always willing, by every means in his
power, to relieve the numerous reduced and wretched persons
who applied to him for assistance. It may be added—and his
son always mentioned it with just pride—that he was never

The whole to conclude with, a New Entertainment of Music and Dancing, called
DON QUIXOTE.

Harlequin .... Mr. Banks.

Don Quixote, Mr. Niepeker Sancho, Mr. Warner.

Columbine . . . Miss Wilkinson,

The Paintings, Music, and Habits, are all entirely New.

Pit and Boxes, 2s. 6d. Gallery, Is. Gd.

To begin exactly at Six.] [Vivant Kex et Begina.]

Tickets and Places to be had of Signer Grimaldi, at the New Tunbridge Wells;
and he begs the favour of those Ladies and Gentlemen, who have already
taken Places, to send their servants by Half-an-Hour after Four o'clock.

At Drury Lane, December 26, in the same year, was performed the Tragedy
of " The Earl of Essex;" at the end of Act IV. a Dance called "The Irish Lilt,"
by Mr. Aldridge, Miss Baker, and others. After which, not performed these
three years, an Entertainment in Italian Grotesque Characters, called " Queea
Mab." Harlequin, by Mr. Hooker; Pantaloon, by Signor Grimaldi; Silvio, by
Mr. Baddeley; Puck, Master Cape; Queen Mab, by Miss Ford; Columbine, by
Miss Baker. The facetious Ned Hooker, principal Harlequin at Drury Lane,
was a painter of great excellence : his paintings and drawings are still held in
high repute, and his theatrical scenery was not surpassed in his time; some of it
was in use till recently at the Haymarket Theatre.

Grimaldi continued at Sadler's Wells till the close of the season of 1767, and
never afterwards was employed there. Signor Spinacuti and Ms "funam-
bulistical" monkey, so took the town by surprise in 1768, that dancing at that
'theatre was altogether thrown into the back-ground.Act II. an entertainment of Dancing, called the Italian