The illustration on this playbill showing Venus in her conch shell surrounded by arching water spouts and billowing smoke was obviously inspired by the allegorical tableau Venus Rising From the Sea, part of the entertainment on offer for Mr. Danson's Benefit at the Stuartfield Gardens in Bonnington Toll, Edinburgh. According to Greek legend about the birth of the goddess, Venus arose from the foam of the sea shore. She is depicted here accompanied by two Tritons or sea-gods, merman creatures with the torsos of men and the tails of fish who usually formed the escort of marine divinities. The evening also appears to have featured another tableau based on Vesuvius, the volcano on the Bay of Naples which erupted eight times during the 19th century.

Since this evening is advertised as: 'the Benefit of Mr. Danson', he would have received a portion of the evening's takings, since theatrical Benefits were a way of providing occasional extra income to cast and staff involved in a production.