The Celebrated Monsieur Desnoyer, Part 2: 1734–1742

Abstract

This article looks at George Desnoyer's repertoire and dancing partnerships during the final phases of his career, at Drury Lane between 1734 and 1740 and at Covent Garden from 1740 to 1742. Following his appearances in John Weaver's The Judgment of Paris and his departure from London, presumably in April 1733, Desnoyer seems to have returned to work for Augustus III of Poland. 1 A letter from Raymond, dancing master in Württemberg, dated 18 December 1733 (New Style) records ‘nous avons l'honneur d’être connu de Monsieur Desnoyer qui est au service de Sa Majesté le roi Auguste de Pologne’. 2 After the troubled 1732–1733 season at Drury Lane, George Desnoyer prudently stayed away from London for some time. It was not until 17 October 1734 that the Grub Street Journal reported ‘A few days ago arriv'd Mons. Denoyer from Poland’. On 4 November, Drury Lane advertised entr'acte dancing ‘Serious and Comic, by Monsieur Denoyer, the first time of his performance since his arrival from Poland’. By this time, the company's quarrels had been settled and Drury Lane was under the management of another gentleman-amateur, Charles Fleetwood, with Theophilus Cibber as his deputy manager actually carrying out much of the work. 3 Desnoyer's erstwhile partner Mrs Booth, briefly one of the theatre's patentees following the death of her husband, had retired from the stage a year earlier. Desnoyer returned to a stable but much changed Drury Lane company.