Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The view from the boxes to the stalls in the New Theatre (Theatre Roy-
al), Covent Garden.
At the end of the road Southampton Street takes you back to the piazza. Covent Garden
is full of shopping opportunities and places to eat and drink. When you are ready to move
on, leave by Russell Street on the north-eastern edge. The building on the left-hand corner
was the site of the Bedford Coffee House where the Beef-Steak Society moved in 1809. On
the right-hand corner was Hummums Hotel, a bagnio with the brothel run by Mrs Gould,
a notorious Madam, upstairs. Next to that were Lovejoy's Bagnio and the Bedford Arms
Tavern and bagnio.
Turn left into Bow Street, famous for its magistrates' court and the Runners. No original
buildings remain: the early magistrates' court was on the western side of the street, where
the goods entrance to the Opera House is now. In 1749 the second magistrate, Henry Field-
ing, founded the band of thief-takers who became known as Bow Street Runners. They
remained an independent force even after the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 and were
finally disbanded in 1839.
The Royal Opera House is on the site of Covent Garden Theatre, which dated back to
1732. This burned down in 1808, dispossessing the Beef-Steak Society who would meet
there to dine every Saturday evening between November and June. Members included the
Prince Regent and his brothers the dukes of York and Sussex. Far more significantly, many
of Handel's manuscripts were lost in the fire.
The second theatre opened in 1809. It was so expensive to build that ticket prices were
raised, sparking The Old Price Riots, which went on for sixty-one days until the prices were
reduced. Mrs Siddons made her farewell performance here in 1812 and the theatre saw the
first productions in English of
Don Giovanni
,
The Barber of Seville
and
The Marriage of
Figaro
. The present building replaces the one that Jane knew, which burned down in 1855.
The Austen family were enthusiastic about drama; they wrote and performed their own
plays and attended the theatre whenever possible. Jane had definite opinions on the produc-
tions, and the actors, that she saw.
On 16 September 1813 she told Cassandra:
Fanny & the two little girls are gone to take Places for tonight at Covent Garden; Clandestine Marriage
& Midas. The latter will be a fine show for L. & M. They revelled last night in Don Juan, whom we left
in Hell at ½ past 11. We had Scaramouch & a Ghost - and were delighted; I speak of them; my delight
was very tranquil, & the rest of us were sober-minded.
One week that month she went to the theatre on two out of three evenings - to The Lyceum
and Covent Garden. 'There was no Actor worthy naming. I believe the Theatres are thought
at a low ebb at present.'
