Bohemians and Critics: American Theatre Criticism in the Nineteenth Century

A regular at Pfaff's (16). Aldrich wrote literary reviews for the newly founded Saturday Press (26).

After the Civil War several Pfaffians, including "William Winter and Thomas Bailey Aldrich turned their backs upon Bohemianism and embraced standards of taste we call 'The Genteel Tradition'" (17).

In 1858, Aldrich advised William Winter to "[b]e a good boy and don't get excited about the slavery question" (71). Aldrich had a long friendship with William Winter and Aldrich dedicated a poem to him in the Home Journal (73). Aldrich and Winter shared "a love of beauty and sentiment, and a strong moral bent" (73).

"Aldrich and his friends valued cultivation and refinement, which they associated with travel, good books, and an intellectual atmosphere. They attempted to hold on to a noble way of life which science and materialism were rapidly destroying" (83).

Bellew published a cartoon in the Picayune which depicted Edward G. P. Wilkins, John Brougham, Boucicault, Cornelius Matthew, Charles Gayler, Fitz-James O'Brien, and Benjamin A. Baker as "playwrights registering their dramatic works before the first copyright law went into effect."

Henry Clapp, Jr. worked as a secretary for Brisbane in 1855-56.

Butler was one of several Pfaffians who organized Clapp's funeral.

The friendship between Daly and William Winter during the 1880s and 1890s caused people to question Winter's "critical integrity and earned him the nickname of 'Daly's house poet.'"

One of several women who frequented Pfaff's. She was a "feminist who fought actively to improve the role of women" (110).

Fox eventually married Stephen Ryder Fiske, but the couple first engaged in a scandalous affair. The affair prompted Mary's husband of the time, Mr. Burnham, to attempt to shoot and stab Fiske (110).

Edward G. P. Wilkins accused Gayler of copying his play Many a Slip Twixt the Cup and the Lip from the French drama Les Crochets du Pere Martin. Gayler claimed he had never seen the French play and that his drama was written earlier.

Edward G. P. Wilkins' first dramatic effort, My Wife's Mirror was performed at Laura Keene's Varieties in 1856. Keene played the part of Mrs. Racket in the production, which ran for two weeks straight (52-53). Wilkins' second work, Young New York opened in 1856 at Keene's new theater, where she once again played the female lead (53). On February 21, 1857, Keene gave a benefit for Wilkins by reprising her earlier roles in his works. She also starred in his next work, The Siam Light Guard (55).

Mentions Keenes professional relationship with Edward Wilkins, and describes why they parted ways (56-58).

Wilkins described Keene's portrayal of Camille as "a nicely built, beautifully fitted up yacht, gliding among pleasant scenes, giving you glimpses of Etruscan vales and Claude Lorraine landscapes, throwing vivid color over all around" (62).

Died in November(?) 1861. Also known by the alias, Inigo (37). He was replaced at the Albion by his friend, William Winter (79).

As a young writer, Twain was helped by Henry Clapp, Jr.

After spending most of his career attacking Daly's work, A. C. Wheeler reversed his opinion about Daly.

While discussing the value of American theatrical drama, Whitman suggests that "anything appealing to the honest heart of the people, as to the peculiar and favored children of freedom -- as to a new race and with a character separate from the kingdoms of other countries -- would meet with a ready response, and strike at once the sympathies of all true men who love America, their native or chosen land" (vi).

Whitman worked as an editor for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1846-1848, during which time he continuously called for American theaters to hire American performers rather than import actors like Charles Kean and Ellen Tree (7-8).

Whitman also calls for reforms of the theatrical reviewing process: "There is hardly anything more contemptible, and indeed unprofitable in the long run, than this same plan of some paid personage writing laudatory notices to the newpaper, to be printed as spontaneous opinions of the editors" (8).

Thomas Bailey Aldrich wrote for Willis's Home Journal.