Colin Henry Hazlewood
Colin Henry Hazlewood was an English playwright.
Hazlewood became a low comedian on the Lincoln, York and western circuits. In 1850, he wrote and produced at the City of London Theatre a farce entitled Who's the Victim? which was received with favour, and he commenced writing stories for the penny weekly publications. In 1851, he was engaged at the Surrey Theatre, appearing as Bob Blackberry in The Rover's Bride, and was next engaged by Nelson Lee and Johnson for the City of London Theatre as a low comedian. Here he remained ten years, producing numerous dramas, farces and burlesques, among his successes being The Bonnet Builders' Tea Party at the Royal Strand Theatre; Jenny Foster, the Sailor's Child and Jessie Vere, or the Return of the Wanderer, two dramas each in two acts, produced in 1854 and 1856 at the Britannia Saloon, where they had long runs; and Waiting for the Verdict, first given at the City of London Theatre.
Hazlewood wrote mainly for the Britannia and Pavilion Theatres, and is said to have been paid at the rate of about fifty shillings an act, with something extra for a very successful piece. He was the most prolific contributor of plays to the Britannia and his sources ranged from recently published novels and serialisations in such journals as The Family, The Herald and Bow Bells to juvenile literature, popular paintings and newspaper reports.
Among his most popular adaptations were versions of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's sensation novels Lady Audley's Secret and Aurora Floyd.
He died at 44 Huntingdon Street, Haggerston, London, on 31 May 1875, aged 52, leaving two children, a son, Henry Colin Hazlewood and a daughter.
Works
Thirty of Hazlewood's works were printed by Thomas Hailes Lacy's in his series Acting Edition of Plays).:Going to Chobham. A Farce, City of London Theatre, 1853 Jessie Vere, 1856 Jenny Foster, 1855 The Marble Bride, magical drama, Britannia Saloon The Chevalier of the Maison Rouge, drama, 1859 The House on the Bridge of Notre Dame, drama, Marylebone Theatre, 1861 The Harvest Storm, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1862 The Heart of Midlothian, drama, adjusted by C. Hazlewood, 1863 Aurora Floyd, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1863 The Mother's Dying Child, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1863 Clock on the Stairs, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1862 Capitola, or the Masked Mother and the Hidden Hand, drama, City of London Theatre, 1860 Poul a Dhoil, or the Fairy Man, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1865 Hop Pickers and Gipsies, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1869 Lizzie Lyle, or the Flower Makers of Finsbury, drama, Grecian Theatre, 1869 The Lost Wife, or a Husband's Confession, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1871 Leave it to Me, a farce, with Arthur Williams, Surrey Theatre, 1870 Waiting for the Verdict, or Falsely Accused, drama, City of London Theatre, 1859 Mary Edmondstone, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1862 The Stolen Jewess, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1872 Ashore and Afloat, drama, Surrey Theatre, 1864;No. 158) Taking the Veil, or the Harsh Stepfather, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1870 The Bridal Wreath, drama, City of London Theatre, 1861 The Bitter Reckoning, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1871 The Headless Horseman, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1865 For Honour's Sake, drama, Britannia Theatre, 1873 Jessamy's Courtship, a farce, Philharmonic Theatre, 1875 Lady Audley's Secret, drama, Victoria Theatre, 1863 Never too Late to Mend, drama, Marylebone Theatre, 1859Others of his pieces had considerable popularity, viz.: Mary Price, Phillis Thorpe, Jerry Abershaw, Lilla, the Lost One, Our Tea Party, The Black Gondola, Trials of Poverty, Blanche and Perrinette, The Eagle's Nest, Lost Evidence, The Jewess of the Temple, The Traitor's Track, Life for a Life, The Forlorn Hope, Happiness at Home, Cast Aside, Aileen Asthore, The Lightning Flash, French Girl's Love and Inez Danton.