Our Little Theatre

Abstract

So wrote the actor Charles Kean, then on tour in Liverpool, to his mother, Mary Chambers Kean, in the second week of July 1848. Only ten days earlier the Queen had commanded his performance in Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s Money and Mrs Centlivre’s The Wonder at the Haymarket. Yet now came astonishing news of even greater patronage: an invitation to direct command performances at Windsor Castle. The royal invitation sparked some jealousy in the theatrical world since Kean was hardly the most prominent actor of the day. But options were limited. The ‘eminent tragedian’ W.C. Macready, never a royal favourite, was then on tour in America. He was an avowed republican. Samuel Phelps, manager of Sadler’s Wells Theatre, was a perfectly respectable, if rather pedestrian, actor. But his suburban theatre was too unfashionable to merit royal patronage. Charles Kean was not an ideal choice – he had never managed a theatre and he had many detractors in the profession – but he was available. Most importantly, the Queen liked him.

I have received instruction to give English performances once a week at Windsor Castle, commencing after Christmas – for six weeks – This is a grand business & will be of the utmost service to me.

– Charles Kean, 1848