Silk and satin theatre playbills and programmes were produced from the 18th century onwards to commemorate special evenings at the theatre. Most theatres and some circuses in the 19th century 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.

Harmston's Circus performed in Soerakarta, Java, from 5th to 14th July 1912 while they were on a tour of India and the Far East. This programme was produced as a souvenir of their performance on July 1912, because of the presence of The Soesoehoenan of Soerakarta, a semi-independent Sultan..

Harmston's Circus was founded by the Nottingham-born equestrian William Batty Harmston (1844-1893). After working with Chiarini's circus in India in 1887, he formed his own circus which toured Australia 1890-1891. After his death in Singapore, his widow carried on the circus with the manager Robert Love, who she married and whose surname can be seen on this programme added to her name and that of her children.