Secluded from other children, the young Victoria could associate with only those people her mother thought suitable.
Young Victoria at the Circus
The first play she saw was James Planche’s Charles XII during a private performance at Windsor Castle when she was nine. Most other plays she saw were those of William Shakespeare.
She was often taken to the theatre to see mixed programs of opera and ballet, or to watch circus acts and pantomimes.
She thoroughly enjoyed the circus, in particular American Isaac van Amburgh and his cats at Drury Lane. Dressed like a Roman gladiator in toga and sandals, he performed with a lion, a tiger, a leopard, and a panther. Victoria was so taken by his shows in 1838 that she attended at least six. She also commissioned a portrait of him in the cage with his cats.
St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle
The young Queen Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert, 10 February 1840.
He introduced her to a wide variety of plays and performances. The Christmas pantomimes at Drury Lane Theatre were particular favorites for them and their children.
The royal couple attended many of Charles Kean’s performances at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. Both he and another favorite actor, Charles Macready, often gave command performances at Windsor.
Entertainment in the Rubens Room at Windsor was extremely popular. There were productions of Shakespeare’s works as well as those of Richard Sheridan. Eventually, to accommodate the large audience, the bigger St. George’s Hall became the venue.
Victoria’s Opinion of William Shakespeare’s Plays
Victoria’s interest in Shakespeare’s dramas was limited. Though she respected him as a playwright, she considered much of his work too difficult to comprehend, especially Hamlet. She commented that there was too much madness in his King Lear. His The Life and Death of King John and Richard III remained favorites for years.
The Queen decided, without having seen it, that Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor was too coarse for her taste. Her decision to not see it was based upon the words of others who mentioned the play’s bawdy elements.
Queen Victoria’s eclectic theatrical interests and support helped form a positive public attitude towards actors. Her regular attendance made theatre respectable. A generous patron, she was also a formidable critic.
In 1853, she and Prince Albert attended an opera by Hector Berlioz at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. The Queen later described it as an absurd and unattractive production with fearful noise. She was not alone in her review, for the opera was withdrawn after that single performance.
One of the most successful plays of its time, The Colleen Dawn was a melodrama set in Ireland. During its uninterrupted, lengthy run that began September 1860, the Queen saw it three times at the Adelphi Theatre. It may have been the last time she visited any of London’s theatres.
Widowhood, Seclusion, and Acting Company at Abergeldie Estate
Prince Albert died December 14, 1861 at Windsor. Though she performed some official duties, Victoria entered a long period of self-imposed seclusion.
Attempts to draw her out were unsuccessful until the Prince of Wales devised a compromise. As was her custom, Victoria was residing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland during the fall of 1881, with several family members. The Prince and his wife were staying at their nearby country Highland estate, Abergeldie.
Edgar Bruce, the English actor, director, and theatre manager, was touring with the play, The Colonel. The Prince of Wales requested that Bruce take the acting company to Abergeldie and present the play. He was convinced that his mother would attend a performance, especially as satire appealed to her.
Bruce agreed, and converted the coach house into an attractive little theatre. At nine o’clock, on the evening of October 4, 1881, the Queen arrived to join the small audience in the improvised theatre. The Prince of Wales presented Mr. Bruce to the Queen afterwards. She informed him that she had thoroughly enjoyed the play.
When news of the evening reached the public, many hoped that the Queen would attend more theatrical events. Her Majesty, well represented by her family at the theatre, much preferred the quiet life.
Sources:
- Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion by Helen Rappaport, Published by ABC-CLIO Incorporated 2003
- Singer’s Pilgrimage by Blanche Marchesi, Published by Richards, London 1923
- Royalties: The Queen and Victorian Writers by Gail Turley Houston, Published by University of Virginia Press 1999
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