To
begin with there was no time-honoured prologue, and worse, there was no
preliminary overture. They could not understand the dialogue between a
player and the beggar, introduced as the author, with which the opera
opens. They grumbled loudly. They thought they were to be defrauded of
their usual music and they wouldn't allow the dialogue to proceed. Jack
Hall who as a comedian was acceptable all round was sent on by the
troubled manager to explain.
Hall advanced to the edge of the stage. There were no footlights in
those days. Favourite though Jack Hall was not a hand nor a voice was
raised to greet him. Jack Hall lost his nerve--which, however, as it
turned out was the most fortunate thing which could have happened--and
this is what he stammered out:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we--we--beg you'll not call for first and second
music because you all know there is never any music at all at an opera!"
A roar of laughter followed this unique apology accentuated by the
unconsciously comical twist of Hall's face with which the audience were
so familiar; good humour was restored, the dialogue was permitted to be
finished and the grumblers were further appeased by the playing of Dr.
Pepusch's overture.
More pitfalls had to be got over safely. Every eye was turned on Sir
Robert's heavy rubicund, impassive face when Peachum sang the verse:
"The priest calls the lawyer a cheat,
The lawyer be-knaves the divine,
And the statesman because he's so great,
Thinks his trade as honest as mine!"
The statesman in the box, whatever he might have felt, was far too
astute to show any sign of ill temper.
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