[57] Grimaldi in this pantomime introduced the happiest of his creations—the vegetable pugilistic figure. On the night of his benefit at Covent Garden, June 25th, Joe played Acres in the "Rivals," as the bills announced, "for this night only." "Harlequin and Asmodeus" followed, for the forty-sixth time. The season terminated on July 24, 1811.
During this month he had to play Clown at both theatres, the pantomime being acted as the first piece at Sadler's Wells, and as the last piece at Covent Garden. Not having time to change his dress, and indeed having no reason for doing so if he had, in consequence of his playing the same character at both houses, he was accustomed to have a coach in waiting, into which he threw himself the moment he had finished at Sadler's Wells, and was straightway carried to Covent Garden to begin again.
One night it so happened that by some forgetfulness or mistake on the part of the driver, the coach which usually came for him failed to make its appearance. It was a very wet night, and not having a moment to lose, he sent for another. After a considerable interval, during which he was in an agony of fear lest the Covent Garden stage should be kept waiting, the messenger returned in a breathless state with the information that there was not a coach to be got. There was only one desperate alternative, and that was to run through the streets. Knowing that his appearance at Covent Garden must by this time be necessary, he made up his mind to do it, and started off at once.
The night being very dark, he got on pretty well at first; but when he came into the streets of Clerkenwell, where the lights of the shops showed him in his Clown's dress running along at full speed, people began to grow rather astonished. First, a few people turned round to look after him, and then a few more, and so on until there were a great many, and at last, one man who met him at a street corner, recognising the favourite, gave a loud shout of, "Here's Joe Grimaldi!"
This was enough. Off set Grimaldi faster than ever, and on came the mob, shouting, huzzaing, screaming out his name, throwing up their caps and hats, and exhibiting every manifestation of delight. He ran into Holborn with several hundred people at his heels, and being lucky enough to find a coach there, jumped in. But this only increased the pressure of the crowd, who followed the vehicle with great speed and perseverance; when, suddenly poking his head out of the window, he gave one of his famous and well-known laughs. Upon this the crowd raised many roars of laughter and applause, and hastily agreed, as with one accord, that they would see him safe and sound to Covent Garden. So, the coach went on surrounded by the dirtiest body-guard that was ever beheld, not one of whom, deserted his post, until Grimaldi had been safely deposited at the stage-door; when, after raising a vociferous cheer, such of them as had money rushed round to the gallery-doors, and making their appearance in the front just as he came on the stage, set up a boisterous shout of, "Here he is again!" and cheered him enthusiastically, to the infinite amusement of every person in the theatre who had got wind of the story.
In the season of 1811, "The Great Devil" was revived at Sadler's Wells:[58] he played a part in it in which he was highly successful and applauded to the very echo. In July, he injured his chest severely by falling upon a tight-rope, and was obliged for several weeks to give up all his theatrical engagements. He reappeared at Covent Garden in October following,[59] playing in "Asmodeus," "Mother Goose," "Valentine and Orson," and "Raymond and Agnes;" in the latter piece he supported, for the first time, the part of Robert. On the 26th of December the new pantomime appeared; it was called "Harlequin and Padmanaba, or the Golden Fish," and went off very well.
[58] Sadler's Wells opened on Easter Monday, April 15, 1811, with "Dulce Domum;" Clown, Mr. Grimaldi, with two new songs, "A Peep at Turkey," and "Massena's Retreat." "Harlequin and Blue Beard" followed on July 15, in which Joe, in the character of Clown, sang "Mr. Greig and Mrs. Snap; or, Bubble, Squeak, and Pettitoes." The season extended till October. At Covent Garden, September 30th, "Raymond and Agnes" was revived, and the parts of Jaques and Robert, sons of Baptiste the robber, were played by Grimaldi and Cardoza; and on boxing-night, December 26th, the new pantomime called "Harlequin and Padmanaba; or, The Golden Fish," in which Grimaldi played Cayfacat Adhri, the Persian cook, afterwards Clown. This entertainment was highly attractive: several embossed prints were published of Joe's drolly transformed vehicle, drawn by a pair of dogs, to ridicule the superb curricle of a West Indian gentleman better known as Mr. Romeo Coates.
[59] Covent Garden commenced the season of 1811-12, in September, not October. Joe, on September 11th, played Kanko, in "La Perouse;" on the 16th, Clown in "Harlequin and Asmodeus;" on the 26th, Orson; and on the 30th of the same month, in "Raymond and Agnes." Norman played Joe's part of Baptiste the robber; Grimaldi and Cardoza for the first time represented his sons Jaques and Robert, by which a change productive of greater scenic power was effected.
One of his earlier appearances in the regular drama occurred in the following June (1812),[60] when, for his own benefit, he played Acres in "The Rivals." The house was a very good one, and he cleared upwards of two hundred pounds by it.