Charles Calvert and the Prince’s Theatre
1864–75
Charles Calvert (1828–79)
Manchester’s most famous actor-manager, Charles Calvert was born in London. Inspired by the performances of Samuel Phelps (1804–78) at Sadler’s Wells, he gained acting experience in the provinces before debuting in London in 1855. Calvert first visited Manchester in 1857, while touring with the Allied Metropolitan Dramatic Company. He returned to the city in 1859 when he was engaged as stage manager at the Theatre Royal. His productions, including ‘Othello’ and ‘Hamlet’, met with critical acclaim. In 1864 (the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s birth), Calvert became manager of the newly-erected Prince’s Theatre.
Prince’s Theatre
Located on Oxford Street near the corner of Lower Mosley Street, the Prince’s Theatre was a commercial venture operated by businessmen. Designed by Edward Salomons (1828–1906), architect of Manchester’s Free Trade Hall, the theatre had an Italian-style facade, and a fashionable, intimate interior with upholstered seats and gilded decoration.
The 1,656-seat theatre opened, on 15 October 1864, with ‘The Tempest’, the first in a series of eleven Shakespeare plays staged by Calvert at the Prince’s Theatre over the next decade. (He staged a final Shakespearean revival, ‘Henry VIII’ at Manchester’s Theatre Royal in 1877.)
Shakespearian Revivals
Following in the footsteps of Charles Kean (1811–68) and Samuel Phelps , both actor-managers famous for their Shakespearean revivals in London, Calvert is best-known for his elaborate productions of Shakespeare on the provincial stage in Manchester. Like Kean, Calvert aimed for authenticity and historical accuracy in his productions, consulting numerous sources to inform his choices in set design and costume:
“‘I have succeeded, I believe, in presenting every personage in the play, not only in costume true to the character and time, but in the exact counterparts in design and colour of habiliments actually worn.”
Charles Calvert, Preface to Shakespeare’s ‘ The Life and Death of Richard the Third’, pp. iii-iv (1870)
Calvert also placed emphasis on the use of music and spectacle. He used tableaux to great dramatic effect, especially in the historical plays. In ‘Henry V’ (Act III, Scene 6) for example, he conveyed the horrors of the Battle of Agincourt using a ‘living picture’. A combination of actors and painted figures gave the illusion of many soldiers. The play is also notable for the number of extras employed. Around three hundred actors crowded the stage during Henry’s procession into London.
Calvert often acted alongside his wife, Adelaide Biddles, who played the Chorus in ‘Henry V’. He also encouraged younger actors, such as Henry Irving (1838–1905) who first appeared in Manchester in 1860, and went on to produce his own celebrated Shakespearian revivals as actor-manager of London’s Lyceum theatre (1878 to 1902).
Alfred Darbyshire (1839–1908)
In his efforts to recreate faithful, historical pictures, Calvert was assisted by a team of experts. Among these was the architect Alfred Darbyshire, who first met Calvert at a performance of ‘As You Like It’ (Theatre Royal, Manchester, 1861). Darbyshire, who was himself an amateur actor, planned and designed the architectural scenes, and researched and executed the heraldic devices. These beautiful, hand-coloured sketches are taken from one of two notebooks, produced by Darbyshire, for Calvert’s revivals of ‘Richard III’ (1870) and ‘Henry V’ (1872).
Darbyshire was also responsible for the renovation of the Prince’s Theatre in 1869, when 300 seats were added to the upper circle in response to the continued popularity of Calvert’s productions. The six-week refurbishment, which involved raising the ceiling height by eight feet (2½ metres), also introduced eight additional private boxes and a large, oil-painted frieze of Shakespeare, by Henry Stacy Marks, located above the proscenium arch. Practical, backstage additions included: a joiner’s workshop; property rooms; an armoury, and a library.
Pantomimes
The Prince’s Theatre was also renowned for its spectacular Grand Christmas Pantomime. Often still running in March, or even April, pantomimes enjoyed long-runs and full-houses, with additional day-time performances staged for the benefit of “the country visitors who pour into the city daily, in countless throngs”, eager to enjoy “the rollicking fun and good humour of the Christmas pantomimes”. (‘Manchester Courier’, 6 January 1866.)
The highlight of the performance was the transformation scene, in which the pantomime cast were changed magically into the characters of the slapstick Harlequinade. In this pantomime, the transformation scene focusses on the progress of the seasons, and includes a view of ‘The Manchester Race Course’, reflecting the popularity of local references.
Legacy
Although Calvert left the Prince’s Theatre in 1875, his ‘services to dramatic art’ were not forgotten. In June 1879, his funeral procession through Manchester to Brooklands Cemetery attracted around 50,000 onlookers.
Alfred Darbyshire, one of Calvert’s executors, helped to arrange a memorial performance of ‘As You Like It’ to raise funds for Calvert’s widow and seven children. The event, which took place at Manchester’s Theatre Royal (1 and 2 October 1879), had a combined cast of amateurs and professionals, all of whom appeared without payment. The programmes (and breakfast menus) for the occasion were designed by Henry Stacy Marks.
Charles Calvert commissioned incidental music for performances of ‘The Tempest’ (1864) and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (1871) from a young Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). The composer found fame soon afterwards with the librettist W S Gilbert (1836–1911).
The Prince’s Theatre was the first venue to introduce individual ‘tip-up’ seats in the stalls, as opposed to communal benches.
Following various changes of ownership and fortune, the Prince’s Theatre closed in April 1940 and was later demolished. The site is now occupied by Peter House.
Discussion Points
How important was Calvert’s contribution to the staging of Shakespeare in the 19th century?
Calvert’s Shakespearean revivals were received enthusiastically by Manchester’s theatre-goers. What factors contributed to their success?
According to Alfred Darbyshire, Calvert “not only desired to please the eye and delight the ear, but he strove to make his revivals educational”. What role does theatre play in public instruction?
Additional Resources
Adelaide Calvert, ‘Sixty-Eight Years on the Stage’ (London, 1911)
Alfred Darbyshire, ‘The Calvert Revivals at the Manchester Prince’s Theatre’ (Lecture given in 1893. Published 1912). Available here.
Richard Foulkes, ‘The Calverts: Actors of some importance’ (London, 1992)
Terry Wyke and Nigel Rudyard (comp.), ‘Manchester Theatres’ (Manchester, 1994)
David Boardman’s website on the history of Manchester has an article on the Prince’s Theatre.
Marilyn Shalk’s blogs on the history of Manchester theatres and stars that appeared there.
Matthew Lloyd’s website on music hall and theatre history includes an 1896 article from ‘The Era’ on the history of Manchester theatres, plus an article on the Prince’s Theatre.
For an introduction to pantomimes and Harlequinades, see the V & A’s ‘The Story of Pantomime’.
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