January the 26th in Theatrical History

In 1833 'The Nervous Man' was first produced at Drury Lane. In Figaro in London, a weekly comic paper which ran from 1831 to 1839, there is a full review of the play. It is referred to as a 'trifling though rather an amusing production' and is listed as a farce. The review mentions the acting and has one of my favourite analysis of a performance in a long time:

 "Mrs Humby whom the reporters delight to call pretty, has a part in the Nervous Man, and as a disgusting manner peculiar to the pertest of bar-maids is all that is neccessary, she acquitted herself well; that is, she was as vulgar as her salary requires"

So far in my research I have been unable to define who wrote said play but in the National Standard, of literature, science, music, theatricals and the fine arts it has a very interesting paragraph which reads:

"The Nervous Man (yet unpublished) at Edinburgh, without obtaining the consent of, or affording the slightest advantage to, the writer; thus, the piece runs for the benefit of the manager and the player, but for the 'poor devil author' he may starve in holes and corners"

So whilst The Nervous Man was allowing the unknown author to be paid when it played at Drury Lane halfway through its run in London the producer and actor Mr Power was recalled to Scotland and just put it on in Edinburgh without giving the author his cut of the profits. A shady dealing which helped lead to the introduction of laws to protect copywright.

In 1871 Oscar Asche (1871-1936) was born. He was an Australian actor who is probably best known for writing the popular Musical 'Chu Chin Chow' based on the story of 'Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves' which was last produced in London at the Finborough Theatre in 2008.