In the same way the performances at the summer theatre, the Haymarket, at the commencement and close of its season, often came into collision with the entertainments of the winter houses, and the actor engaged by two masters, and anxious to serve both faithfully, had a very arduous time of it.  How could he possibly be present at the Haymarket and yet not absent from Drury Lane or Covent Garden?  As a rule the patent theatres had the preference, and the summer theatre was compelled for a few nights to be content with a very scanty company.  On one occasion, however, Farley, the actor, achieved the feat of appearing both at the Haymarket and Covent Garden on the same night, and in the plays presented first at each house.  The effort is deserving of particular description.

At Covent Garden the curtain rose at half-past six o’clock.  In the Haymarket the representation commenced at seven.  At the former theatre Farley was cast for one of the witches in “Macbeth.”  At the latter he was required to impersonate Sir Philip Modelove, in the comedy of “A Bold Stroke for a Wife.”  It was a question of fitting in his exits at Covent Garden with his entrances at the Haymarket.  A hackney-coach was in attendance, provided with a dresser, lighted candles, the necessary change of costume, and the means of altering his make-up.  His early duties as a witch at Covent Garden fulfilled, the actor jumped into his coach, and, with the assistance of his dresser, was promptly changed from the weird sister of the tragedy to the elderly beau of the comedy.  He duly arrived at the Haymarket in time to present himself as Sir Philip, whose first entrance upon the stage is in the second act of the play.  This part of his task performed, he hurried again to Covent Garden, being transformed on the road from Sir Philip back again to the weird sister.  Again he left the patent theatre, and reached the Haymarket in time to appear as Sir Philip, on the second entrance of that character in the fifth act of the play.  The actor acquitted himself entirely to the satisfaction of his two audiences (who were perhaps hardly aware of the extent of his labours), but with very considerable strain upon his nervous system.  For to add to the difficulties of his task, his coachman, indifferent to the counsel that the more haste often signifies the worse speed, turning a corner too sharply, ran his forewheel against a post, and upset coach, actor, dresser, candles, costumes, and all.  This untimely accident notwithstanding, the actor, with assistance freely rendered by a friendly crowd, secured another vehicle, and succeeded in accomplishing an exploit that can scarcely be paralleled in histrionic records.