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Show By JOHN BAUER General Manager, Valley Music Hall Insisting that if a person advertised that he would creep into a quart bottle, he would procure an audience, audi-ence, the Duke of Montague was challenged and a wager was the result. He advertised adver-tised in all the London newspapers announcing that a certain bottle conjurer would appear at the New Theatre in the Haymarket. Of the result, we quote the following account from the journals of the times (1749): "Last night (viz. Monday the 16th), the much expected ex-pected drama of "The Bottle Bot-tle Conjurer," at the New Theatre in the Haymarket, ended in the tragi-comical manner following. Curiosity had drawn together prodigious prodigi-ous numbers. "About seven, the Theatre The-atre being lighted up, without with-out so much as a fiddle to keep the audience in good humour, many grew impatient. im-patient. Immediately followed fol-lowed a chorus of catcalls, heightened by loud vociferations, vocifera-tions, and beating with sticks; when a fellow came from behind the curtain, and bowing, said, that if the performer did not appear, the money should be returned; re-turned; at the same time a wag crying out from the pit, that if the ladies and gentle men would give double prices the conjurer would get into a pint bottle. "Presently a young gentleman gen-tleman in one of the boxes seized a lighted candle and threw it on the stage. This served as the charge for sounding to battle. "Upon this the greater part of the audience made the best of their way out of the Theatre; some losing a cloak, others a hat, others a wig, and swords also. One party, however, staid in the house, in order to demolish the inside, when the mob breaking in they tore up the benches, broke to pieces the scenes, pulled down the boxes; in short, dismantled the Theatre entirely, carrying carry-ing away the particulars above mentioned into the street, where they made a mighty bonfire; the curtain being hoisted on a pole by way of a flag. "A large party of guards were sent for, but came time enough only to warm themselves around the fire. "We hear of no other disaster than a young nobleman's chin being hurt, occasioned by his fall into the pit with part of one of the boxes, which ho had forced out with his foot " Tis thought the conjurer con-jurer vanished away with the bank. "Many enemies to a late celebrated book, concerning the ceasing of miracles, are greatly disappointed by the conjurer's non-appearance in the bottle; they imagining imagin-ing that his jumping into it would have been the most convincing proof possible, that miracles are not yet ceased." In the year 1749, the Duke of Montague was responsible re-sponsible for a hoax so remarkable re-markable that it has ever since been referred to as a proof of human credulity. Discussing public curiosity with some friends, this nobleman said that if a person advertized that he would creep into a quart bottle, he would procure an audience. He was challenged chal-lenged and a wager was the result. To decide, he had the following advertisement placed in all the London newspapers: "At the New Theatre in the Hay-Market, on Mon- pit 3s., gallery 2s. To begin at half an hour after six o'clock. "Tickets to be had at the theatre. "The performance continues about two hours and a half." The following advertisement advertise-ment was also published at the same time, which one would have thought sufficient suffi-cient to prevent the other having any effect: "Lately arrived from Italy. "Signor Capisello Jum-pedo, Jum-pedo, a surprising dwarf, no taller than a common tavern tobacco nine: who day next, the 16tb instant, to be seen, a person who performs the several most surprising things following, viz. first, he takes a common com-mon walking-cane from any of the spectators, and thereon there-on plays the music of every instrument now in use, and likewise sings to surprising perfection. "Secondly, he presents you with a common wine bottle, which any of the can perform many wonderful wonder-ful equilibres on the slack or tight rope; likewise he'll transform his body in above ten thousand shapes, and postures; and after he has diverted the spectators two hours and a half, he will open his mouth wide and jump down his own throat. "He being the most won-derfullest won-derfullest wonder of wonders won-ders as ever the world wondered won-dered at, would be willing spectators may first examine; exam-ine; this bottle is placed on a table in the middle of the stage, and he (without any equivocation) goes into it in sight of all the spectators, spec-tators, and sings in it; during dur-ing his stay in the bottle any person may handle it, and see plainly that it does not exceed a common tavern tav-ern bottle. "Those on the stage or in the boxes may come in masked habits (if agreeable to them) ; and the performer perform-er (if desired) will inform them who they are. "Stage 7s, 6d., boxes 5s., to join in performance with that wonderful musician on Monday next in the Haymarket. Hay-market. "He is to be spoke with at the Black Raven, on Golden Lane, every day, from seven to twelve, and from twelve all day long." The bait took even better than expected. The playhouse play-house was crowded with Dukes, Duchesses, Lords, Ladies, and all ranks and degrees to witness the bottle bot-tle conjurer. The results, quoted from the newspapers of the times, will be reprinted re-printed next week. |