 Towards the end of the 1790s , Grimaldi starred in a pantomime version of Robinson Crusoe , which confirmed his credentials as a key pantomime performer . Many productions followed , but his career at Drury Lane was becoming turbulent , and he left the theatre in 1806 . In his new association with the Covent Garden theatre , he appeared at the end of the same year in Harlequin or Mother Goose , which included perhaps his best known portrayal of Clown . Grimaldi 's residencies at Covent Garden and Sadler 's Wells ran simultaneously , and he became known as London 's leading Clown and comic entertainer , enjoying many successes at both theatres . His popularity in London led to a demand for him to appear in provincial theatres throughout England , where he commanded large fees . 
