2c - Draft petition to the Lord Chamberlain from Sheridan and Harris (1777)

Summary

Gentlemen

According to your desire the Plan of the proposed Assistant Theatre is here explained in Writing for your further consideration.

From our situations in the Theatres Royal of Drury Lane and Covent Garden, we have had opportunities of observing many circumstances relative to our general Property which must have escaped those who do not materially interfere in the management of that Property – One point in particular has lately weigh'd extremely in our Opinions which is an Apprehension of a new Theatre being erected for some species or other of Dramatic Entertainment. Were this Event to take place on an opposing Interest in all probability the contest that would ensue would speedily end in the absolute ruin of one of the present Established Theatres, – We have reason it is true from His Majesty's gracious Patronage to the Present Houses to hope that another Patent for an opposing Theatre is not likely to be obtained – but the motives which appear to call for one, are so many and those of such nature as to encrease every day – that we cannot on the maturest consideration of the subject divest ourselves of the dread of such an event. With this Apprehension before us – We have naturally fallen into a joint consideration of the means either of preventing so fatal a Blow to the present Theatres or of deriving a general advantage from a Circumstance which might otherwise be their ruin –

Some of the leading motives for the establishment of a third Theatre are as follows –

1. 1st: The great extent of the Town and encreased Residence of a higher class of People who on account of many inconveniences seldom frequent the Theatres –

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