A Feud Between Two Shakespearean Actors Sparked One Of The Most Violent Riots In New York City History
On May 10, 1849, thousands of people flooded the streets of New York City in a protest that was incited by a feud between two popular Shakespearean actors.
A mob had gathered at the Astor Place Theatre, an upscale opera house, and the situation quickly grew bloody. It became one of the most violent public outbursts in the history of New York City and was called the Astor Place Riots. Over 20 people were killed, and many more were injured when soldiers tried to contain the crowd.
The incident was triggered by a bitter rivalry between William Charles Macready, a famous British actor, and Edwin Forrest, an American actor.
However, the root of the dispute ran much deeper than just a debate over which actor was better. The Astor Place Riots revealed the deep class divisions in America during an era when economic inequality was widespread, and the two actors basically represented opposite sides.
In the mid-19th century, Shakespeare was read by everyone, no matter their societal status. Edwin Forrest was well-loved for his bold stage presence and muscular aesthetic. He was a hero among Americans, a symbol showing that America had finally gained independence from the British.
On the other hand, William Charles Macready was considered too stiff, prim, proper, and, most of all, too English. He was a trained actor known for playing the role of Hamlet. Although many working-class Americans came from different backgrounds, they all had one thing in common—hating the English.
Once upon a time, the rivalry between Forrest and Macready had been pretty friendly and good-natured. But one day, Forrest showed up at Macready’s performance of Hamlet in England, hissing at him from the audience. He blamed Macready for a low turnout rate during his tour in England. From then on, their feud turned hostile.
Supporters of Macready in England made sure that Forrest’s performances received lukewarm reviews from the British press. At the same time, fans of Forrester would appear at Macready’s performances in America to cause a disturbance, preventing him from giving a good show.
As the controversy between the two actors went on, the class divide in America became apparent. The upper class in New York sided with Macready, and the lower classes rooted for Forrester.
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On the night of May 7, 1849, Macready took the stage in the role of Macbeth at the Astor Place Theatre.
The crowd of working-class New Yorkers booed him and pelted him with garbage. The performance had to be canceled.
The next day, an enraged Macready declared that he was leaving America immediately. However, he was persuaded to stay by his upper-class fans, who wanted to see him perform. They ensured him that he would be safe with their support.
So, the production of Macbeth was rescheduled for May 10. News of Macready’s performance spread throughout the city. That evening, a group of 200 police officers stationed themselves inside and outside the opera house.
Hordes of protesters swarmed the streets outside of the building. When the rioters tried to storm the building, the police officers were ordered to fire their rifles to control the crowd.
At least 22 people were shot dead, and more than 100 were wounded. Macready was able to escape through a back door.
The riots resulted in deepening the divide between the elites and the lower classes. For instance, theater itself experienced a shift. The upper classes continued to stick to Shakespeare, while poorer groups turned to vaudeville.
As for political impacts, some say that the Astor Place Riot foreshadowed the 1863 Draft Riots at the height of the Civil War.
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