Beau Brummell (1890),a play in four acts by Clyde
Fitch. [
Madison Square Theatre, 150 perf.] Beau Brummell ( Richard
Mansfield), vain, effete, and supercilious, cares only about the pleasures of life. He is totally irresponsible, telling his valet, Mortimer ( W. J. Ferguson), to hide his bills where he “would not see them,” so that he might “think that they are paid.” Only his gambling debts are honored. To replenish his funds, he plans to marry Mariana Vincent ( Agnes Miller), daughter of a rich London merchant, unaware that his own nephew Reginald ( F. W. Lander) is courting her and has her affections. Brummell's haughtiness extends even to the Prince of Wales ( D. H. Harkins), who at first is amused by the man's presumption. But when, on leaving a ball, Brummell snaps at the Prince, “I shall have to order my carriage. Wales, will you ring the bell?,” he finally alienates the future king. Realizing the damage he has done to himself, he sends the Prince an expensive gift, only to have it publicly returned. He is further confounded to overhear Mariana and Reginald exchange endearments. Head high, he determines to leave London. Years later we see Brummell, aged, impoverished, and befriended only by his loyal valet, as he sits in his French rooms by the light of a single candle and entertains his old companions, now merely phantoms of his mind, at a regal, if imaginary, supper. The play was Fitch's first major play, although producer and star Mansfield attempted to take credit for it. Fitch replied, “The execution . . . some of the business, and the great bulk of the dialogue is mine. The artistic touch, some of the lines in the comedy, not the most important ones, and the genius that has made it a success are Mr. Mansfield's.” Certainly many critics held that it was Mansfield's finest delineation, and he kept it in his repertory until his death. Arnold
Daly later performed it successfully.
