Playbill for 11th January 1826 for Harlequin and the Magick Rose, or, Beauty & The Beast and The Duenna, Theatre Royal Covent Garden6

Printed playbill with black typography.

Bequeathed by John Pearce

This playbill was produced for the 11th January 1826 performances of the opera The Duenna and Farley's pantomime Harlequin and the Magick Rose: or, Beauty and the Beast that opened on Boxing Day 1825. The main entertainment, Beauty and the Beast, included music composed by Mr Watson, and scenery painted by Mess. Grieve, Pugh, T. and W. Grieve, Luppino and assistants. The machinery was operated by Mr. E. Saul and 'tricks, transformations and decorations' by Bradwell. The dresses were by Mr. Palmer and Miss Egan. The whole production was composed and produced by Mr. Farley. Prince Azor (the Beast and eventual Harlequin) was played by Mr. Tom Ellar and Selima (later Columbine) was played by Miss Romer. Mr. Barnes was Scanderino the Merchant, afterwards Pantaloon; Mr. E. Parsloe played the Sprite Turlbock; Master Longhurst played the Genie of the Rose; Mr. Henry played Ugalina the Enhantress, and Mr. C. Parsloe the Bathing Woman. Th servant Chichicoo, and later clown, was played by J. S. Grimaldi (1802-1832), the son of the famous clown Joseph Grimaldi.

The early nineteenth century saw the birth of spectacular theatre, with monumental scenery, stage trickery, lighting effects and even water stunts attracting large audiences to fill rapidly expanding theatres. This playbill demonstrate the importance of scenery in this period, designating half of the text to descriptions of backdrops and scene changes, painted primarily by the famous Grieve family. John Henderson Grieve, who initially began working for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1794, established a generational business designing elaborate scenery for pantomimes, operas and ballets. In this production, Scene 6 presents 'A Panoramick Aerial Voyage' successively portraying Constantinople, St Petersburg, Amsterdam and finally the cliffs of Dover.

S.642-2016