Not currently on display at the V&A

Silk Playbill

1856 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The playbill is for the Olympic Theatre, Wych Street, Strand, under the management of Mr. Alfred Wigan. It advertises the evening's programme of 26 May 1856 comprising the comedietta The Tragedy Queen featuring Mr. Emery, Mr Douglas, Mrs. Stirling and Miss Fanny Ternan, followed by the drama Retribution with Mr George Vining, Mr Alfred Wigan, Mr. Emery, Mr. G. Murray, Mr. Leslie, Messrs Frank and Douglas, Miss Marston and Miss Herbert, followed by the comedietta Stay At Home with Mr George Vining, Mr Emery, Mr. Frederick Vining, Mr. Murray, Mr. J.H. White, Miss Fanny Ternan, Mrs. Stirling and Mrs. Bromley. The playbill also advertises the programme on Thursday 29th May which is a morning performance (commencing at three o'clock and terminating at half past five), of Catching a Mermaid! with Mr Frederick Robson; The Jealous Wife, with Mrs. Stirling, Mr. Emery and Mr. George Vining, and The Wandering Minstrel with Mr. Frederick Robson as Jem Bags, singing Vilikens and His Dinah. The stage manager is credited as Mr. Alfred Wigan; the Assistant Stage Manager is Mr. F.Vining and the Acting Manager is Mr.W.S. Emden. Alfred Wigan was the lessee of the theatre from 1853 until 1857 when Frederick Robson and William Emden took over, running it until 1864.

This gift included an illustrated music sheet cover for Vilikens and His Dinah (or Villikens and his Dinah) featuring a lithograph of Frederick Robson as Jem Bags who sang it in the musical farce The Wandering Minstrel.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
black printing ink on cream satin silk with gold metallic fringe
Brief description
Silk playbill with gold metallic fringe advertising the programme at the Olympic Theatre, London, for the week of 26 May 1856, comprising The Tragedy Queen, Retribution and Stay at Home and the matinée on Thursday 29 May of Catching a Mermaid, The Jealous Wife and The Wandering Minstrel, featuring Frederick Robson as Jem Bags singing Villikens and His Dinah.
Physical description
Cream satin silk playbill with black ink and gold metallic fringe advertising the programme for the week beginning Monday 26 May 1856 at the Olympic Theatre, Wych Street, London, comprising The Tragedy Queen, Retribution, and Stay at Home!, starring George Vining, Alfred Wigan and Mrs. Stirling, and for the matinée on Thursday 29th May of Catching a Mermaid!, The Jealous Wife and The Wandering Minstrel, featuring Frederick Robson as Jem Bags singing 'Vilikens and his Dinah'. Noting the names of the stage managers Mr. Alfred Wigan and Mr. R.F. Vining, the ticket prices and box office arrangements.
Dimensions
  • (without fringe) length: 49.5cm
  • Including fringe length: 50.5cm
  • Without fringe width: 45.5cm
  • With fringe width: 51cm
Marks and inscriptions
Transliteration
Credit line
Given by Rosanna Eckersley
Summary
The playbill is for the Olympic Theatre, Wych Street, Strand, under the management of Mr. Alfred Wigan. It advertises the evening's programme of 26 May 1856 comprising the comedietta The Tragedy Queen featuring Mr. Emery, Mr Douglas, Mrs. Stirling and Miss Fanny Ternan, followed by the drama Retribution with Mr George Vining, Mr Alfred Wigan, Mr. Emery, Mr. G. Murray, Mr. Leslie, Messrs Frank and Douglas, Miss Marston and Miss Herbert, followed by the comedietta Stay At Home with Mr George Vining, Mr Emery, Mr. Frederick Vining, Mr. Murray, Mr. J.H. White, Miss Fanny Ternan, Mrs. Stirling and Mrs. Bromley. The playbill also advertises the programme on Thursday 29th May which is a morning performance (commencing at three o'clock and terminating at half past five), of Catching a Mermaid! with Mr Frederick Robson; The Jealous Wife, with Mrs. Stirling, Mr. Emery and Mr. George Vining, and The Wandering Minstrel with Mr. Frederick Robson as Jem Bags, singing Vilikens and His Dinah. The stage manager is credited as Mr. Alfred Wigan; the Assistant Stage Manager is Mr. F.Vining and the Acting Manager is Mr.W.S. Emden. Alfred Wigan was the lessee of the theatre from 1853 until 1857 when Frederick Robson and William Emden took over, running it until 1864.

This gift included an illustrated music sheet cover for Vilikens and His Dinah (or Villikens and his Dinah) featuring a lithograph of Frederick Robson as Jem Bags who sang it in the musical farce The Wandering Minstrel.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Robson of the Olympic by Mollie Sands, published by The Society of Theatre Research, 1979.
Collection
Accession number
S.5-2003

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Record createdMarch 3, 2003
Record URL
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