Silk and satin theatre playbills and programmes were produced from the 18th century onwards, to commemorate special evenings at the theatre. Most theatres in the 19th century would have had some made to mark grand openings or milestone performances. By the end of the First World War however the practice had generally died out, only being revived very occasionally, more often at London's opera houses than any other theatres.

This silk was produced for the revival of Dorothy's Stratagem at the Criterion Theatre, 12 March 1877. The play had originally opened there on 23 December 1876. The Criterion, the small underground theatre at Piccadilly Circus which opened in March 1874, became known as one of London's leading theatres for light comedy. Charles Wyndham (1837-1919), who starred in The Great Divorce Case, was associated with the theatre for over 20 years. He made his name at London's Royalty Theatre in a burlesque comedy in 1866, and appeared at the Criterion in December 1875 in the comedy Brighton. By Easter 1876 he was a profit-sharing partner in the Criterion, leased by Alexander Henderson. Wyndham was in his element in risqué farces, often adapted from French originals, including The Great Divorce Case adapted by Clement Scott and Arthur Matthison (alias Doe and Roe) from Le Procès Veraudieux, and W.S. Gilbert's On Bail. This programme also advertises the farce Masks which opened on 2 April 1877 as The Pink Dominos, adapted by James Albery from the French play Les Dominos Roses by Messrs. Hennequin and Delacour; and the burlesque Oxygen, or, Gas in Burlesque Metre which opened on 31 March 1877 at Henderson's other theatre, the Folly, starring his wife, the burlesque star Lydia Thompson.