[ Carlo, the Theatrical Newf ]
The earliest reference I have found (so far) to a Newfoundland being used in a theatrical production is to a play, The Caravan; or, The Driver and His Dog (1803) by the English playwright Frederic Reynolds (1764 - 1841).
Reynolds' many plays were primarily comic or satiric, relative "lightweight" works, for low- and middlebrow audiences. The Caravan was a very commercially successful play for the Drury Lane theater where it was first produced, perhaps in no small part for two of its crowd-pleasing innovations: (1) at one point the production makes use of flowing water onstage, to simulate the ocean into which a young child is thrown by the ruthless villain; and (2) its use of a Newfoundland dog, who jumps into the water to rescue the child. Audiences loved it, making the play a big success for the theater.
So much so, in fact, that the following anecdote is told of the theater's owner, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (himself a successful and highly regarded playwright and politician):
"The Newfoundland dog was rapturously applauded and secured a long run for the play. . . . Sheridan, after the first performance, went to the green-room, it was supposed to congratulate the author; he asked 'where is my guardian angel?' On being told that Reynolds had left, he answered 'Pooh, I mean the dog — actor, author, and preserver of Drury Lane Theatre'." [Dorothy George, British Museum curator; source page here]
A rather positive review of The Caravan was published in Walker's Hibernian Magazine in 1804; that review is presented in its entirety here at The Cultured Newf, so I won't reproduce it again on this page. There is also a positive review in the December 1803 issue of Sporting Magazine, and a rather unflattering discussion of the play's sensationalism in the January 1804 issue of Gentleman's Magazine.
The success of Reynolds' play troubled some British critics, who felt that works such as The Caravan debased the theatre by pandering to lowbrow, popular taste. When these critics wanted to attack those who created and produced such works, which they did frequently and with a fair bit of venom, The Caravan and its Newfoundland — along with Sheridan, the theater's owner —were often used as punching-bag symbols of the trashy works dominating the stage in early 19th Century England.
The popularity of this play even prompted the English writer Eliza Fenwick (up to this point mostly associated with radical political figures) to write a children's book, first published in 1804 and reprinted several times, entitled The Life of the Famous Dog Carlo.
Below are some images (and related commentary) from the British Museum's collection of satirical prints that use Carlo the Newf as part of their attacks on lowbrow theater:
The following image, courtesty of The British Museum, is a satirical print by Samuel de Wilde from the December 4, 1807, edition of The Satirist, or Monthly Meteor, a hard-hitting London weekly that ran from 1807 to 1824. Entitled "The Monster Melo-drama," the image is intended to lampoon current theatrical practice, particularly the neglect of classic works in favor of crowd-pleasing current works of lower quality. As you can see from the full description of the print below, one of the figures in the image is Frederic Reynolds, author of The Caravan; he is the left-most figure at ground level in front of the monster, shown as astride Carlo, the (brown) Newfoundland from The Caravan:
Here is the British Museum description:
"Pl. from the 'Satirist', i. 225. A four-footed monster, with four human heads, the long hairy body resembling that of a dog, stand in an open space in front of the theatres of Covent Garden (l.) and Drury Lane (r.), the latter partly obscured by clouds rising from the ground, and with the statue of Apollo, headless as in BMSat 10764. The three main heads are those of Sheridan, saying "Ha, ha, ha," Kemble saying "Oh!!!!!", with a tragic expression, and of a clown (evidently Grimaldi) with painted face and blue wig, saying, "Nice Moon". A dagger is thrust into Kemble's neck, blood gushing from the wound. A fourth head wearing a mask, that of Harlequin, looks over the back of the monster, who wears a Harlequin coat over its fore-legs and the front part of its body. It has a long barbed tail inscribed 'A Tail of Mistery'. The monster's fore-paws rest on a paper: 'Regular Dramas Congreve Beaumont and Fletcher Colman' [attacked in BMSat 5064, now a standard author]. A hind-foot rests on 'Shakespear's Works'. Under its body are a number of modern dramatists, some of whom suck from its many teats. They are portraits, and some are identified by the titles of plays by which they stand. On the left. Frederic Reynolds bestrides a large dog (Carlo) by 'The Caravan' (emphasis added) [see BMSat 10172, &c.]. A man sits on the shoulders of a monk with cloven hoofs in order to reach a teat; the monk (Lewis) stands on 'Wood Daemon' [a 'Grand Romantic Melo-Drama' by M. G. ('Monk') Lewis, first played at Drury Lane 1 Apr. 1807 (cf. BMSat 10727)]. Holcroft, wearing spectacles (as in BMSat 9240), stands on the 'Road to Ruin' [see BMSat 8073]. Skeffington, wearing long striped pantaloons, stands on his 'Sleeping Beauty' [see BMSat 10455]. On the extreme right. Dimond, tall, thin, and foppish, stands on his 'Hunter of the Alps', played at the Haymarket in 1804. There are five other men, less prominent, and unidentified by inscriptions. Behind, an old man (or woman) drives a flock of geese past the arcade of Covent Garden Theatre.
4 December 1807
Hand-coloured etching"
[ British Museum source page ]
Another work using Carlo and The Caravan to attack popular theater is this image by James Sayers, published in London in 1803 and entitled "The manager and his dog - or a new way to keep one's head above water" (also courtesy of the British Museum):
Here's the British Museum's description of the image:
"Below the title: 'a Farce performed with rapturous Applause at Drury Lane Theatre Motto for the Farce. And Folly clapped his hands and Wisdom star'd. Churchill.' A view of the left. side of the stage, including part of a stage box on the extreme left. From this leans a figure of Folly wearing a fool's cap with ass's ears, clapping his hands. Within the shadow of the box is the head of a staring owl (cf. BMSat 5363). A frieze of dancing dogs (cf. BMSat 16715) decorates the lower part of the box; above is a grinning mask flanked by dogs' heads. The capital of the Corinthian pilaster that flanks the stage is formed of dogs' heads. At its foot is a figure of Thalia covering her face with her hands. At the base of her pedestal is an open book: 'The Caravan or the Driver and his Dog a Farce.' This lies on and obscures another: 'The Critic or Tragedy rehearsed'. The front of the stage is filled with a large pool; in this a dog swims, his collar inscribed 'Carlo'; he holds the head of Sheridan above the water by his hair, saying:
"------methinks it were an easy Leap"
To dive into the bottom of the Deep"
And pluck up drowned honour by ye Locks." ['1 Henry IV', I. iii.]
Water gushes into the pool from left. and r.; on the r. from a mound of stone slabs on which is poised a wheeled dog-kennel. By the roof of the kennel are the heads of two enormous and camel-like dogs, muzzled (or bridled), and peering at Carlo; one partly obscures a notice-board on a post in the pool: 'Humane Socie[ty for] recovering drowning persons] It is recommended That Dog Kennels [should be] stationed at all Ho[uses of] public Entertainment for the Benefit of drowning persons.' The scenery is a water-side castle.
17 December 1803
Etching and aquatint"
[ British Museum source page ]
The handwriting below the image reads as follows: "The head is Sheridan; the Dog is a Newfoundland dog really introduc'd on Drury Lane Stage to plunge into the Water, & rescue a Child."
The British Museum's curatorial note for this image is as follows:
"Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
Sheridan is accused of debasing the stage and being false to his own genius as shown in 'The Critic'. 'The Caravan' (title as above) was 'a grand serio-comic romance' by Frederick Reynolds, first played at Drury Lane, 5 Dec. 1803. The scene is in Spain where the Regent designs the death of a marquis who is sent from Madrid in a caravan; the latter's son is thrown into the sea, because the marchioness will not yield to the unlawful passion of the governor of Barcelona, and rescued by the dog Carlo. The Regent is then deposed and all is well. The Newfoundland dog was rapturously applauded and secured a long run for the play. Water gushed on to the stage as depicted. See 'Life of Frederick Reynolds', ii. 350-3. Sheridan, after the first performance, went to the green-room, it was supposed to congratulate the author; he asked 'where is my guardian angel?' On being told that Reynolds had left, he answered 'Pooh, I mean the dog, actor, author, and preserver of Drury Lane Theatre'.
Another image referencing Carlo and The Caravan is this anonymous one from 1804, making fun of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's political ambitions (which included a stint as treasurer for the Royal Navy, somewhat ironic given that despite a great deal of commercial success in his life Sheridan died in poverty). The first part of this work's title — "The driver and his dog, or Sherry brought into port" — is the subtitle of Reynolds' play, with the second half referring to "Sherry" (that is, Sheridan, the owner of the Drury Lane Theater) and his desire to reach "Port," in this case the "receiving house" which is labeled "Treasury."
Here's the British Museum's description:
A huge dog, standing in a pool, grips by the shoulder a young man with Sheridanesque features, enabling him to step out of the water. The 'Driver' points to an adjacent building The Treasury (l.), and says: "My Dear Fellow since you have been so good as to keep my head above Water - pray take care of my Glass Slippers [see BMSat 10226] - and set me down in a snug place at the receiving house over the way"" The dog wears a huge collar inscribed 'Carlo'. c.January/February 1804
Hand-coloured etching"
[ British Museum source page
This image by Samuel D. Wilde, published in The Satirist in May of 1808, is entitled "A new drop scene for D. L. T" (that is, Drury Lane Theatre), and mocks not only the use of animals in lowbrow theater but Sheridan's management of Drury Lane Theater as well.
Pl. from the 'Satirist', ii. 225; illustration to 'The Board of Management', pp. 225-9. A fantastic scene on the stage of Drury Lane Theatre. Tragedy and Comedy are being done to death by the management, while dogs and imitation animals are made ready to perform. A rough gallows made of a plank inscribed 'Board of Management' rests on two logs. A man on a ladder, said to be the President of the Board of Management, and perhaps C. Ward, see BMSat 11438, prepares to hang Thalia, or Comedy, a buxom woman with a (broken) comic mask suspended from her neck. Melpomene, 'Moll Pominy', or Tragedy, is stretched on a bench with a dagger thrust through her hand; Tom Sheridan, in back view, forces her to drink a cup of 'Mello dram'; a paper, 'Caractacus', projects from his pocket. At her feet Sheridan ('Bardolph', see BMSat 7528, &c), very dishevelled, lies in a drunken sleep, holding a glass. His arm rests on a pile of books and papers: on the top are 'Forty Thieves' and 'Piz[arro]'; beneath are his famous plays: 'Rivals', 'Duenna'; open on the ground are 'Critic' and 'School for Scandal'. With these are empty bags inscribed 'Treasury Bag' and an overturned bottle of 'Cherry Bounce'. On the r. Wroughton is the centre of a semicircle of dogs on their hind legs wearing coats, with a cat playing a tambourine. Beside them (r.) is the door under a stage-box, in this stands Folly, a man dressed as a fool in cap and bells, applauding the happenings on the stage. Behind, a man paints black spots on a white dog wearing a collar inscribed 'Carlo'. (emphasis added) Behind are imitation animals: an elephant whose body is not yet completely covered with canvas; an unconvincing dromedary, with two conical humps, and framework showing under his neck. A man inflates with bellows the seamy skin of a so-called bear. There is a background of forest scenery.
1 May 1808
Hand-coloured etching"
The fact that a man is painting black spots on a white dog is reminiscent of the remark, in the initial review of The Caravan, that another dog, a mastiff, was used for some of the scenes of the play involving Carlo.
The curatorial note for this image follows:
"(Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
A satire on the management of Drury Lane; the renters are said to have received nothing for four years. The theme that the legitimate drama is neglected for performing dogs and spectacles was an old one. . . . 'Caractacus' (22 Apr. 1808) was a spectacular ballet by d'Egville (music by Bishop) which had a successful run at Drury Lane, the words attributed to Tom Sheridan . . . . These plays made great sums for the Theatre, but its Treasury is empty (the allusion may be also to Sheridan's office of Treasurer of the Navy, 1806-7). 'Cherry Bounce' must connote Andrew Cherry, called by 'The Times', 24 June 1807, "the lowest dramatist of this wretched day".
[ British Museum source page ]
This image from the British Museum collection, published in February of 1804 in London, is entitled "The Political Alphabet" and uses each letter of the alphabet to mock a political figure (some large, some small) of the day.
Sheridan of course represents the letter S:
". . . 'S was friend Sherry, \ with Carlo his dog!' (Sheridan, his coat-Pocket bulging with paper, slouches with one hand on Carlo's back"
[ British Museum source page ]
This next image is "A friendly visit to the dramatic manufactory or preparations for next season," published on February 6, 1804 in London.
The British Museum description:
Sheridan (l.) sits in an arm-chair at his writing-table, pen in hand. He slouches forward, peering at a large playbill in his left hand. 'Tom Hickathrift \ and the \ Giants \ a new Growlo Drama \ with \ Wittington \ and his \ Cat \ a Pur-letta \ in which a real \ Cat and Mice \ will be Introduced \ - Due Notice will be given \ of Mr Carlo's next \ Performance.' He says: "Now I have got my head down [sic; "above" is legible in the image text] Water I am determined to go on Swimmingly." The Newfoundland dog 'Carlo' (his massive padlocked collar so inscribed) who played in 'The Caravan', faces Sheridan holding in his mouth a basket labelled 'Raw Materials for New Subjects'; these are rolled MSS. inscribed: 'Dog-Matical Essays', 'Bark-shire Poems', 'Bones to Pick'. Fox (r.), immensely fat stands beside Carlo, in profile to the left., r. hand on the dog's head, l. in his coat-pocket. He says: "You are a very good Dog Namesake - a very good Dog indeed - I wish you would Spin me a little Money thes hard times - it would be very acceptable." Behind Sheridan are book-shelves; from a shelf inscribed 'Glass Slippers as good as New' two slippers dangle. The titles of the (bulky) books are: 'Jack the Giant Killer', 'Goody Two Shoes', 'little Red Riding Hood', 'Tom Thumb', 'Seven Champions [of Christendom]'; actually these tales were best known in penny chap-books.
6 February 1804
Hand-coloured etching
The Museum's curatorial note for this image:
(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
"A satire on the profits accruing from the acting of the dog Carlo in 'The Caravan' . . . . Fox's presence gives the print a political colour. 'Cinderella, or the little Glass Slipper', a successful 'Pantomimic Spectacle' was first played at Drury Lane, 3 Jan. 1804. . . . Accusations against managers of preferring pantomime and burlesque or performing dogs to the standard dramatists are a recurrent theme" [in satirical prints of the time]
[ British Museum source page ]
This next print from the British Museum collection is entitled "Political Astronomy" (1805; London) and is yet another attack on artistic and political figures of the day. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, owner of Drury Lane Theater, is in the upper left (the 11 o'clock position), and is again linked to dogs in allusion to the success of The Caravan.
Here's part of the British Museum description:
Planets surround an irradiated sun inscribed 'Treasury', on which are three open money-bags. At the summit of the orbit (shown by concentric circles), stands Fox, hands on hips; above his head is a five-pointed star: 'THE FOXONIN STAR. This is the Grand Polar Star, - in every storm and tempest Seamen turn towards him to enquire into their latitude.' Fox is equidistant from Sheridan (l.) and Tierney (r.). The former is 'THE SHERRY-ONIAN STAR. He is of great mgnitude [sic] in the scale and is continually looking towards the Dog Star.' Beside him is a small dog in a circle: 'The Carlonian Star newly discover'd [Carlo, hero of 'The Caravan' . . . .
May 1805
Etching
[ British Museum source page ]
This image from the British Museum also features a group of artistic and political figures getting their comeuppance. I've highlighted the figure of Sheridan and the dog since they're not easy to spot in this small, crowded print. This image first appeared in The Satirist magazine (London) for 1 October 1807, and is by Samuel de Wilde.
Here's the relevant part of the Museum's description:
Sheridan, on the r. of the group, declaims theatrically to the right, where a fat woman stands holding a bottle in each hand. At his feet are papers: 'Little Red Riding Hood' and 'The Forty Thieves' . . . . In the background (right), watching Sheridan, are actors, including one with a dog. . . . Behind, Drury Lane Theatre is sketched, the statue of Apollo having lost its head. . . .
The curator's notes on this print include the following remark about Sheridan, who is being mocked in this print for his political ambitions:
Considerable attention is also given to the theatre. Sheridan was accused . . . of using 'the play-actors, scene shifters, candle-snuffers and mutes of the Theatre, aided by a pretty numerous bevy of . .. unfortunate females . . .' to furnish an applauding crowd for his election procession." (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
[ British Museum source page ]
This June 1804 print by Charles Williams is entitled "The cabinet dinner or a political meeting," and depicts several political and cultural figures who at the time were seen as engaging in inappropriate machinations involving the Prince Regent (eventually George IV, though not until 1820) and his mentally ill father, King George III. Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Carlo are again featured.
Here's the partial description:
Eight members of the Opposition sleep round an oval dinner-table, on which guttering candles have burnt low. In the chair, full face, and in the centre, the Prince of Wales, very stout, leans back. . . . Under Sheridan's chair lies Carlo, the dog who had been his saviour. . . .
[ British Museum source page ]
The last of these images involving Carlo is a direct and focused attack on Richard Brinsley Sheridan and his "cheapening" of drama by using his Drury Lane Theater to stage such lowbrow works as The Caravan, as the title of this print makes clear: "The Theatrical Bubble:-being a new specimen of the astonishing Powers of the great Politico-Punchinello, in the Art of Dramatic Puffing."
This print, from 1805, was by James Gillray and published in London by Hannah Humphrey.
The description is lengthy, but worth it for its detailed mapping of this detailed attack on Sheridan:
Sheridan, as Punch, grotesquely caricatured, stands on a platform, above the heads of a cheering crowd, blowing soap-bubbles. Clusters of soap-suds fall from the pipe, and from it rises an oval containing a figure of Young Roscius, in Highland dress as Douglas in Home's play. The boy, breathing fire, holds out a coral and bells, striding arrogantly over decollated heads inscribed 'Exit Garrick - Kemble - Cooke'. Other actors, freely indicated, stagger back from the young conqueror, over whose head are the words 'Veni. Vidi Vici.' Sheridan's pipe is irradiated against a dark sky. From the pipe, and a source of some of the rays, project little trumpets with banners inscribed respectively: 'Times', 'Morning Chronicle', 'True Briton', 'Sunday Observer', 'Herald'. From each issue the words (sometimes repeated): 'Roscius!' followed sometimes by faintly-drawn ciphers. Sheridan gazes up at his huge bubble. He is bloated and pimpled; his head sunk between hump and paunch. His dress is striped, his contour defined by close-set buttons, [ar]ound his paunch is twisted a tricolour sash; a tricolour cockade decorates is hat, which has a conical crown, curved brim, and erect feather. His pocket angs inside out, patched and empty. The cheering crowd (r.) fling coins to the platform, on which lie two pamphlets: 'Account of the Profits of the Bubble' and 'Petition of the Renters for a Share in the profits of the Bubble'. Behind Sheridan lies the dog, 'Carlo', hero of 'The Caravan'.... Beside Carlo is a padlocked money-box: 'Drury Lane Strong Box'. These are under a table at the back of the stage. On the table is a barber's bowl, filled cubbies issuing from a pipe; the largest is inscribed 'Forty Thieves'; under the bowl is a paper: 'Materials for bran-New Pantomimes for Johnny Bull's Amusement'. Beside the bowl is a bottle labelled 'To be repeated the first opportunity', in whose neck is a funnel inscribed 'Bottle Conjurer', which is filled by a little fat man who grasps his paunch. The back of the stage is bordered by a curtain from which project over the table a sign and a banner. On the former is a dog with the inscription: 'The Wonderful Red Lion, of surpassing Abilities - to be seen within.' On the banner: 'In a few Days, will be Perfom'd - a new Comic Divertisment, called The Bubble-burst, accompanied bv [sic] Laughing Song by John Bull.'
In the foreground are the heads and shoulders of the applauding audience (l. to r.): a little chimney-sweep, waving his brush; Lord Derby, holding un hunting-cap (with a tricolour cockade) and whip; Lord Carlisle, clapping senile hands; Mrs. Jordan in back view, identified only by her association with the Duke of Clarence, her hand on his shoulder. Just round the corner and facing Sheridan, is Fox. All are much caricatured. The other heads' which recede in perspective, are plebeian, but guineas are being flung on to the platform. Behind is Drury Lane Theatre with its statue of Apollo. This looks disparagingly towards the bubble; a serpent twined round its pedestal hisses at Roscius: 'Ssssss'. After the title: '-Vide. New method of Raising ye Wind.'
7 January 1805
Hand-coloured etching and aquatint
[ British Museum source page ]
