Not currently on display at the V&A

Playbill advertising The Relapse and Harlequin Fortunatus

Playbill
1753 (made)
Artist/Maker

This letterpress playbill advertising the comedy The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger by John Vanburgh, and the pantomime Fortuatus would probably have been printed in-house at Drury Lane Theatre, where productions on offer changed every evening, making speed of typesetting and printing essential. The names of the actors are given, but as often in 18th century playbills, not the names of the playrights. The Relapse, written in 1696, was the successful first play by the playwright and architect John Vanbrugh (1664-1726). The cast of this production included some of the stars of Drury Lane at this period, whose names are printed in larger typeface, including Henry Woodward as Lord Foppington, Kitty Clive as Miss Hoyden, and Hannah Pritchard as Berinthia. The established Drury Lane Harlequin Henry Woodward (1714-1777) was the author of Fortunatus and played the character Harlequin Fortunatus.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePlaybill advertising The Relapse and Harlequin Fortunatus (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Letterpress
Brief description
Playbill advertising The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger by John Vanbrugh and Fortunatus by Henry Woodward, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1 January 1754
Physical description
Letterpress playbill advertising The Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger and Fortunatus at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on Tuesday, 1 January, with the year, 1754, added in ink. With cast lists and prices.
Dimensions
  • Mounted height: 25.4cm
  • Mounted width: 17.7cm
Credit line
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996
Object history
Associated production: The Relapse. Comedy by Sir John Vanbrugh. Actors Harry Woodward, John Palmer, Kitty Clive, Richard Yates, Hannah Pritchard, Mrs Davies, Mr Havard. Harlequin Fortunatus. Pantomime by Harry Woodward. Dancers Mons. Devisse and Madame Auretti. 1.1.1754 Drury Lane Theatre, London.
Summary
This letterpress playbill advertising the comedy The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger by John Vanburgh, and the pantomime Fortuatus would probably have been printed in-house at Drury Lane Theatre, where productions on offer changed every evening, making speed of typesetting and printing essential. The names of the actors are given, but as often in 18th century playbills, not the names of the playrights. The Relapse, written in 1696, was the successful first play by the playwright and architect John Vanbrugh (1664-1726). The cast of this production included some of the stars of Drury Lane at this period, whose names are printed in larger typeface, including Henry Woodward as Lord Foppington, Kitty Clive as Miss Hoyden, and Hannah Pritchard as Berinthia. The established Drury Lane Harlequin Henry Woodward (1714-1777) was the author of Fortunatus and played the character Harlequin Fortunatus.
Collection
Accession number
S.678-1997

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Record createdOctober 20, 2009
Record URL
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