Illustrated poster advertising the programme at the Bower Saloon, 17th March 1852. Woodcut and letterpress printed by J.W. Peel

Playbill advertising the first night of Robert the Devil The Enchanted Ring, or, The Demon Statue; the new Native American ballet arranged by Mr. Bolton The Red Indian!, or The Island Savage, and The Newgate Bird, or, a Highwayman's Career at the Bower Saloon, 17th March 1852, printed in black in on white paper. Illustrated with a woodcut of a scene from The Red Indian. The evening is advertised as a Benefit for Miss King and Mr Bolton, and the cast of Robert the Devil the Enchanted Ring or, the Demon Statue is given as Mr. Crauford, Mr. Biddles, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Bolton, Mr. Connor, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Wood, Miss Grey, Miss Biddles and Mrs Biddles. The evening included with a 'favourite dance' by Miss King, a 'pas comique' by Mr. J. Ricketts, the comic song 'Never Buy Tripe on a Friday' sung by Mr. Hollyoak, the contortionist Sig. Alteno, also performing somersaults, and the 'grotesque clowns' Messrs. H. Hall and W. Laing. The cast of the ballet was Mr. Byron, Mr. J. Green, Mr. Bolton, Mr. Marchant, Mr. West, Mr. Connor, Messrs. Jones and Smith, Mrs. Somerville, Miss King, and Miss Marchant. The ballet featured a 'grand Indian War Dance', a 'Terrific Gun and Broad Sword Fight'. The entertainment after the ballet included Mr. J. Bolton singing 'The Women of England'; the American Minstrels Yankee Maugham and American Dryce from the Surrey Music Hall playing banjo. tambourine, and bone castanets; La Polka from Miss King and Miss Finch, and a comic dance from Mr. Green.

Gabrielle Enthoven Collection

The Bower Saloon in London's Stangate Street, Lambeth, was owned by Mr. J. Biddles in 1852, whose wife and daughter appear on this bill. From 1855 when it was owned by Victor Hazelton it made its name for the production of melodramas starring dogs. This poster features a woodcut image, particularly good for attracting the attention of passers-by, especially those who couldn't read, when they saw them on the streets. The clientele of the Bower Theatre, which advertised itself in the 1860s as 'the only theatre for the working classes', would have included many of those, attracted by low ticket prices, action-packed productions including melodrama, farce and nautical drama, and the availability of alcohol, the sale of which was a popular feature of 19th century theatres like the Bower that styled themselves as saloons.

A note at the bottom of this bill notes that tickets could be bought from Miss King and Mr. Bolton every evening at the stage door. As beneficiaries of the evening, it was up to them to man the doors and perform.

S.317-2016